Notables

VIRGINIA BEACH – When Bill Gobble connected on a 3-pointer with 1:50 remaining to be played against long-time rival Hampden-Sydney, a partisan record crowd of 1,102 at Virginia Wesleyan' Jane P. Batten Student Center let him know they liked what he did.

A deafening roar erupted on Gobble's third triple of the game, as it squelched a Hampden-Sydney run that had cut Virginia Wesleyan's 68-60 lead to only two points. The visiting Tigers pulled within three points after that triple, but were out of runs as the host Marlins used clutch free throw shooting down the stretch to post a 78-70 victory over the nation's 12th-ranked team.

It was a significant victory as it extended a current winning streak to seven in a row, improved the Marlins' Old Dominion Athletic Conference record to a best-ever 14-4, gave VWC (16-9 overall) the second seed in the upcoming ODAC tournament, and marked only the second regular-season sweep of the Tigers in VWC history. The Marlins tripped the then seventh-ranked Tigers 60-57, at Hampden-Sydney, on Jan. 16.

"Bill's three late in the game was huge," says VWC head coach Dave Macedo. "He really gave us a spark off the bench, as did Ryan Kahle. They were both important contributors to the win. We set the tone early, but Hampden-Sydney (19-5, 13-5) made some great runs. You have to give our guys a lot of credit though for holding them off and making some big plays at the end of the game."

Off the bench, Gobble and Kahle, a pair of juniors, combined for 30 points, hitting 10 of 15 field goals, including 5-for-9 from 3-point range, and 5-for-5 from the line. Gobble was perfect across the board, hitting all four field goals, all three triples, and both free throws that he attempted.

While their contributions were crucial, so was the floor leadership of point guard James Wallace. The stalwart senior repeatedly found ways to get shots up and in over a harassing Hampden-Sydney defense, scoring a game-high 24 points, his second best total of the season. Wallace connected on six of 12 field goal attempts, including 5-for-11 from three-point range.

"James Wallace is on the top of his game now," says Macedo "He was the difference in the game, in my opinion. He wanted the ball, he made several clutch shots, he was 7-for-7 from the foul line, and he handled their constant pressure pretty well overall."

Pressure was constant from both squads throughout an intense contest that saw five ties and nine lead changes, six of the latter in the second half. Momentum ping-ponged, with each team producing scoring runs to keep the tally tight.

VWC used a 7-0 run to open up a 14-6 lead early, only to see the Tigers respond later with four consecutive triples, three by junior Matt McKeag, in a 14-2 surge to take a 28-27 advantage with 3:56 in the half. Wallace responded with a triple to stop the run and return the lead to the Marlins, who closed out the half with an11-0 surge to open up a 41-30 lead.

Before the clock could hit 0:00 though, Hampden-Sydney sophomore Jeff Monroe stripped the cords with a 3-pointer from just inside the midcourt stripe. The Tigers rode that momentum shift into the locker room and back out onto the court for the second half, opening with a 9-0 run that gave the Tigers a 42-41 lead at 16:26.

The teams traded the lead four times in the next 94 seconds, before Gobble emerged with a 3-pointer that gave the Marlins a lead they would not surrender. His triple at the 14:01 mark sparked a 9-0 spurt that pushed the Marlins into a 56-48 lead and left Hampden-Sydney on the chase.

Key scores by senior Josh Fisher, junior Louis Park and first-year Marlin Kyle Sharp helped VWC to maintain the upper hand, before Hampden-Sydney produced one more rush at the lead. Junior Lane Brooks started it with a dunk and in the next 80 seconds the Tigers cut a 68-60 deficit to 68-66 on a jumper by David Willson.

That's when Gobble stepped up to knock the wind out of the Tigers for the last time, drilling home the triple that enabled the Marlins to keep a step ahead to the final buzzer.

Three-pointers electrified the crowd throughout the game, as the teams combined to hit 20 of 39 from the long ranges. VWC hit on 12 of 26, the Marlins' second-highest single-game production of the season. Five different Marlins hit for at least one triple. Hampden-Sydney did post a 30-28 edge in rebounds, but game-high honors belonged to Kahle, who pulled in a season-high nine.

McKeag paced Hampden-Sydney scoring with 18 points. Brooks finished with 16 and Monroe with 11.

"Our guys are playing with a lot of confidence," says Macedo. "They're believing in one another and that's helping our program to move in the right direction. Anytime you can beat a top-notch program like Hampden-Sydney, it puts you on the map. To beat them twice and have the opportunity for another rematch with them is something our guys feel pretty good about."