LYNCHBURG, Va. -- Five Virginia Wesleyan College players scored in double figures Wednesday to carry the No. 2 ranked Marlins to a 76-62 Old Dominion Athletic Conference victory over the host WildCats of Randolph College.
Junior Chris Astorga (Suffolk, Va./Virginia Beach Cape Henry Collegiate) scored 20 points and junior Tre' Ford (Falls Church, Va./J.E.B. Stuart) added 16 points to lead Virginia Wesleyan (12-1, 5-0) which won its 12th consecutive game.
It was a slow developing win for the Marlins though, as the WildCats jumped in front early and maintained the lead throughout the first half. Zach Desgain (Richmond, Va./J.R. Tucker) scored on a layup to give the host team its largest lead of the half at 14-4 with 12:29 on the clock. Randolph stayed in front to the halftime buzzer, taking a 28-26 lead in the locker room.
The game remained close through the early minutes of the second half, with Randolph leading 42-41 on another Desgain basket with 12:06 remaining in the contest. It turned out to be the last lead for the 'Cats as Ford nailed a triple seconds later to push Virginia Wesleyan in front 44-42.
Ford's basket was part of a final scoring surge for Virginia Wesleyan as the Marlins outscored the WildCats 34-21 to stay in front to the end. Ford led VWC scoring in those final minutes with 11 points and junior Chris Teasley (Newport News, Va./Menchville) added 10.
Long range shooting helped Virginia Wesleyan to take control in the second half as the Marlins hit five triples and finished hitting 8-of-17 overall. Astorga and Ford led the effort with four triples each. Randolph attempted only nine treys and hit just two.
Virginia Wesleyan also won the rebounding battle, 33-24. Senior Donald Vaughn (Woodbridge, Va./Dumfries Potomac) and Astorga led the Marlins with six rebounds each. Senior Art Crew (Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette) contributed to the win with a game-high five assists.
Vaughn and Teasley added 12 points each to the Marlins' scoring effort and sophomore D.J. Woodmore (Virginia Beach/Landstown) added 10 points. Virginia Wesleyan shot 56.8% from the field, led by Astorga who hit 6-of-9. Randolph shot 42.3%.
Colton Hunt (Whittier, N.C./Smoky Mountain) led Randolph with 18 points, Derrick Woods-Morrow (Greensboro, N.C./Northeast Guilford) tallied 12, and Mike Ehilegbu (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft) added 10 points. Desgain finished with 13 points. Woods-Morrow led the 'Cats with eight rebounds.
VWC returns to competition on Saturday, Jan. 14, hosting Roanoke College's Maroons in an ODAC game starting at 2 p.m. at the Jane P. Batten Student Center.
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