SU (10-5, 2-0 USA South) had not won in Everett Gymnasium since beating Wesleyan (6-7, 0-1 USA South) 80-79 on February 7, 1999. The win also marks the first time in the Hornets 10 seasons in the Dixie/USA South that the squad has started the year 2-0.
Shenandoah played perhaps its most solid performance of the second semester in getting the victory; SU bolted to a 6-0 lead and never trailed the rest of the way.
Up by 12, 78-66, with just over three minutes to play, Coach Rob Harris’ club iced the game by making seven of eight free throws as the Bishops attempted to get back into the game by putting SU on the line. Senior Chris Jenkins (Bristow, Va./Brentsville) was 3 of 4 while classmate Chris Rhone (Washington, D.C./Northwestern) and freshman Steven Johns (Baltimore, Md./Towson Catholic) were each 2 for 2.
Wesleyan’s best chance to get back in the game came on an 8-0 run from the 15:22 to 14:20 marks of the second – the Bishops trailed by just 10, 54-44, after a Lenny Hall layup off of a Ramon Spears feed.
Unfortunately for the home fans, Shenandoah reeled off a 10-3 over the next 4:21 to take a 64-47 lead. Junior Jared Hale (Centreville, Va./Lynchburg) had a pair of three-pointers during this run and NC Wesleyan would get no closer than 12 points the rest of the way.
Spears led all scorers with 22 points, but Rhone had 20 to go along with 10 assists, sophomore Onyie Onunaku (Bristow, Va./Stonewall Jackson) 19 with 10 boards, five assists, three blocks and five steals, Hale 14 points and Jenkins 13 to give SU a balanced attack.
http://www.su.edu/athletics/mb/200405/011505.htm "> Box Score/Play by Play
Shenandoah is off until hosting Averett University next Saturday afternoon in a 4:00 USA South Conference contest.
Newspaper Box Score Shenandoah University vs NC Wesleyan 1/15/05 4:00 at Rocky Mount, NC At Rocky Mount, NC SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY 85, NC WESLEYAN 68 SHENANDOAH UNIVERSITY (10-5,2-0) RHONE, Chris 8-22 4-5 20; ONUNAKU, Onyie 6-9 7-7 19; HALE, Jared 5-10 0-0 14; JENKINS, Chris 4-6 3-5 13; LAWRENCE, Jeremiah 2-9 4-7 8; PURNELL, Kenneth 3-6 0-0 7; JOHNS, Steven 0-5 2-2 2; MILLER, Patrick 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 29-70 20-26 85. NC WESLEYAN (6-7,0-1) SPEARS, Ramone 10-18 2-2 22; HALL, Lenny 6-11 1-2 13; COBB, Jarvis 4-11 1-2 12; BARRETT, Jake 3-4 0-0 6; MORGAN, Michael 2-4 0-0 4; COVINGTON, Tony 2-8 0-0 4; EDWARDS, Jeremy 1-3 0-0 2; ESPINOSA, Robert 1-1 0-0 2; PERRY, Willie 1-3 0-2 2; CARR, Richard 0-6 1-2 1; ARTIS, Jermaine 0-0 0-0 0; HARTSFIELD, JONATHAN 0-0 0-2 0; BROWN, Oliver 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-69 5-12 68. Shenandoah University......... 43 42 - 85 NC Wesleyan................... 30 38 - 68 3-point goals-Shenandoah University 7-20 (HALE, Jared 4-7; JENKINS, Chris 2-2; PURNELL, Kenneth 1-4; JOHNS, Steven 0-2; RHONE, Chris 0-5), NC Wesleyan 3-8 (COBB, Jarvis 3-7; HALL, Lenny 0-1). Fouled out--Shenandoah University-None, NC Wesleyan-None. Rebounds-Shenandoah University 51 (ONUNAKU, Onyie 10; LAWRENCE, Jeremiah 10; RHONE, Chris 10), NC Wesleyan 37 (SPEARS, Ramone 8). Assists-Shenandoah University 15 (ONUNAKU, Onyie 5; RHONE, Chris 5), NC Wesleyan 14 (CARR, Richard 3; SPEARS, Ramone 3). Total fouls-Shenandoah University 12, NC Wesleyan 21. A-350