ASHLAND, Va. - Sophomore Buzz Anthony (Arnold, Md./Archbishop Spalding) was named tourney MVP with 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as the 15th-ranked Randolph-Macon men's basketball team defeated Drew 84-50 in the championship game of the 2018 R-MC Coaches Tournament sponsored by Kay Jewelers on Saturday afternoon in Crenshaw Gym.

The Basics

Score: Randolph-Macon 84, Drew 50

Location/Venue: Ashland, Va./Crenshaw Gym

Records: R-MC 12-1, DU 8-3

How It Happened

A three-pointer by senior Grayson Midulla (Glen Allen, Va./Glen Allen) and a layup by junior Corey Bays (Bel Air, Md./CM Wright) following a steal gave the Yellow Jackets a quick 5-0 lead 30 seconds into the contest. The Rangers used an 8-3 spurt to level the score at 8-8. A trey by Bays on a behind-the-back assist by Anthony capped a 20-5 run as R-MC took a 28-13 advantage with 7:10 left in the first period. Drew cut the deficit to 10 at 28-18 before Bays had a layup and trey followed by a three-pointer by senior Luke Neeley (Orange, Va./Woodberry Forest) pushed the Yellow Jacket lead to 36-18 with 4:15 remaining. Senior Jon Nowell (Riverdale, Ga./Blair Academy) had a block on the defensive end and ran the floor for a layup to give the home team a 38-20 advantage with 2:20 left. Neeley hit another trey and Anthony made a jumper from the free throw line with less than five seconds remaining as the Yellow Jackets took a 43-24 lead at intermission. Bays led all scorers with 10, while Neeley added eight and senior Darryl Williams (Columbia, Md./Glenelg Country) put in seven. Anthony had five points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals.

Anthony had R-MC's first eight points of the second half and Neeley had the next eight points in a 16-6 spurt as the Yellow Jackets went up 59-30 with 13:50 left. A layup by Williams gave R-MC a 69-38 advantage with 8:30 remaining. The lead grew to 41 at 81-40 with 3:35 left before the Yellow Jackets eventually posted the 84-50 win.

By The Numbers

• R-MC had four players score in double figures. Neeley led all scorers with 16 points in 15 minutes, going 6 for 10 from the floor, 3 for 7 on three-pointers and 1 for 1 from the free throw line. Anthony added 13, Midulla put up 12 and Bays had 10. Junior Kent Kilgroe (St. Petersburg, Fla./Shorecrest Prep) had a career-best eight points, going 3 for 4 from the floor, 1 for 2 on three-pointers and 1 for 2 from the free throw line.
• The Yellow Jackets dominated on the boards, pulling down 48 rebounds to 22 for Drew. Nowell led all players with eight caroms, while Anthony and sophomore David Funderburg (Greensboro, N.C./Northwest Guilford) both grabbed seven.
• The R-MC defense held the Rangers to just five three-pointers after Drew nailed 21 against Stockton on Friday evening. The Rangers were held to a season-low on points. Their previous low was 62 points.

Notes

• Midulla was named to the All-Tournament Team along with Anthony. The other members of the team included Riley Collins of Drew, Nick Penny of Carroll and Keenan Williams, Jr. of Stockton.

Up Next

Randolph-Macon had concluded its non-conference slate. The Yellow Jackets return to ODAC action on Thursday, January 3 for a 7 p.m. contest at Virginia Wesleyan.