Mary Washington Upends Short-handed Marlins 68-67

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- The University of Mary Washington's T.J. Jones connected on a three-pointer from the right wing with two seconds remaining to give the Eagles a 68-67 victory over No. 18 Virginia Wesleyan College in non-conference action Wednesday night.

The Marlins employed a new starting lineup for the first time this year, starting two first-year players in Keijon Honore and Daevon Brown as VWC had to employ a deeper bench against Mary Washington.

Honore finished with five points, three rebounds and two assists in a season-high 31 minutes of action while Brown found himself in foul trouble early, resulting in just six minutes of action against a big Eagles' squad.

The Marlins trailed throughout the first half, coming out of intermission down 34-28 to the hosts. VWC scored the first five points of the final period on an Honore layup and three-pointer by Khory Moore, but Mary Washington pulled away again, going up as many as eight, 43-35, with 13:01 to play on a pair of Mark Madison free throws.

Nick Doyle scored seven points by himself in the next 90 seconds as the Marlin defense held the Eagles scoreless to pull back within one point, 43-42. Doyle pulled down a rebound on Mary Washington's next possession, kicking it up court for a Kaelin Poe dunk and the first Marlin lead.

Mary Washington retook the lead, but surrendered it twice more, once on a Justin Watson jumper with eight minutes to play, and another on a Moore jump shot and free throw with 29 seconds to play as VWC went up 66-65.

After an empty Eagles possession, the hosts sent Poe to the free throw line where he converted one of two for a 67-65 lead with 18 seconds to play.

Mary Washington called a timeout with 13 seconds left, drawing up the play for Jones. He received the ball in the backcourt, raced to the left before coming back to the right. He rolled over the top of a screen which caused the Marlins to switch defenders. Jones raised up from the right wing, knocking down the game winner as Honore's heave at the buzzer fell just short.

Jones finished with 22 points for Mary Washington (6-3) while Madison tallied 19 points, three rebounds and three assists.

Moore posted 19 points for the Marlins on 10 made free throws as Doyle finished with 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. Poe collected his second double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

No. 18 Virginia Wesleyan (5-4) will be off until December 30 when the Marlins host Southern Virginia University (3-5) in the first game of a doubleheader scheduled for 5 p.m. The women's basketball team will play Stevenson University at 7:30 p.m.