NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University heads into 2023 with a 13-2 record following a 98-48 victory Friday over Wilmington (OH) College in the Captains Shootout. CNU, ranked seventh in the country, won its fourth straight game and senior Ian Anderson led the way by scoring 11 points and pulling down 14 rebounds.

Wilmington, now 4-7, held an early 12-11 lead with 13:35 to play in the first half when the Captains grabbed control. CNU would go on to outscore the Quakers, 39-8, over the rest of the first half to take a commanding 50-20 lead at the intermission.  

In all, 13 Captains got into the scoring column, and four reached double figures. Anderson was joined in double digits by junior Trey Barber (16), fifth-year senior Matthew Brodie (15), and sophomore Caleb Furr (11), as John Krikorian's squad improved to 7-1 this season at the Freeman Center. Barber and Furr each also contributed seven rebounds in addition to their scoring output.

"We talked a lot before the game about our energy level and where it's been an where it needs to be," Krikorian said following the win. "Our effort today from the start was certainly impressive, I thought we really took it up a notch, and because of that we were able to get a lot of people in the game."

The Captains stretched the advantage to as many as 52 in the second half, and 60 of the squad's 98 points for the day came from players off the bench. CNU held a 59-27 advantage in rebounding, and held the Quakers to 22 percent shooting (14 of 64). 

CNU scorched the nets, making 39 of 71 total shots (55 percent), and ten-of-23 from beyond the three-point line (44 percent). All 16 players available saw action, and no one played more than 20 minutes. The game was just the second meeting ever of the schools, and the Captains have now won both. CNU beat Wilmington in December of 2017, 82-64, in a tournament played in Frederick, Md.

Christopher Newport will open 2023 on Monday, hosting Brandeis University at the Freeman Center. The Judges of Brandeis are 8-2 this season, and won on Friday at home over Westfield State, 60-47. The game will be the first meeting of the programs, and tip-off time is set for 5:00 p.m.