For immediate release – 12/2/2015 - #126
Rogo and Wimbish Lead the Charge in the WildCats Victory
WINCHESTER, VA – Gordon Rogo and Seth Wimbish each scored double-figures coming off the bench to help the Randolph College men's basketball team comeback and defeat Shenandoah University 72-67 on Wednesday night. It was the first Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) win of the season for the WildCats.
The Hornets jumped out to an early 7-2 lead after three minutes into the game, but the two seniors came off the bench shortly after to help out. Rogo completed an old-fashioned three-point play to start things off, before SU answered with four straight. Then, fellow senior Lucas Smith followed up a Rogo attempted layup with an offensive rebound and put back to bring Randolph back within four. Wimbish hit a three to further cut the deficit, but Shenandoah answered with a sizeable run, putting the Hornets up nine with 8:37 remaining in the half.
Rogo made two from close range, before SU pushed the advantage to 29-19. The 'Cats continued to fight, cutting the deficit to six at the break. Rogo scored three, Corey Brown added three, and Ryan Fields and Jason Eddie scored two, notching the score at 35-29 for the home side.
The second half comeback began immediately. Brown converted a traditional three-point play, before Josh Freund made a jump shot. Thomas Walker hit a jumper of his own down the other end, but Evan Horn responded with a three-point field goal to tie the game at 37 with 17:57 left in the game. It would be the last lead of the game for Shenandoah.
Rogo and Wimbish combined for five points, which was sandwiched around a Malcolm Clark jumper to give Randolph a three point lead. Clark sunk two free throws, but it was countered by two from Reid Jacoby. Clark once again answered with a jumper, but Wimbish began a seven-point spree. He hit a three, and Freund followed with two from inside the arc.
However, Shenandoah came back with an eight-point run, including a three from Clark, and tied the game at 51. Like the earlier lead, it would be the last time the score would be even throughout the rest of the night.
Freund took the lead back, before Rogo scored four. SU continued to fight and cut it back down to one, but Rogo and Wimbish once again went jumper, three-point field goal respectively to put the WildCats up six.
The teams traded points until Clark scored three and his teammate Aaron Patterson made a three with only 13 seconds on the scoreboard. The score was 68-67 Randolph. But Wimbish and Brown made four three throws in the remaining time and the WildCats prevented the Hornets from scoring, to give the visitors the win.
Rogo tallied 18, while Wimbish added 14. Brown also finished in double-figures with 10 points. The team shot 45.8% from the field, including 50% (7-14) from three-point range. Fields helped the 'Cats outrebound Shenandoah by seven, as he grabbed a career-high and game-high nine rebounds. Clark led the Hornets (3-4 overall, 0-1 ODAC) with a game-high 21 points.
Randolph (4-1, 1-1) remains on the road in the midst of its longest road trip of the season. The 'Cats travel to Ferrum College (3-2) for a 7 p.m. tilt next Monday night.