For immediate release – 2/20/2016 - #204
Brown Helps Carry Seniors and WildCats to Victory on Special Day
LYNCHBURG, VA – Corey Brown scored a career-high 22 points for the Randolph College men's basketball on Saturday, helping the WildCats defeat Washington and Lee University 64-56. It was fitting that Brown would reach this accomplishment on the day the Randolph community honored him and his fellow seniors: Zach Desgain, Jason Eddie, Evan Horn, Lucas Smith, andSeth Wimbish.
The game started off with a moving moment as Eddie, Horn, Smith, Wimbish, and Brown got the start. It was even more special as Horn and Smith were injured and were unable to play. The refs helped stop the game to accommodate.
With the emotions running high, the Generals were early aggressors, scoring six of the first eight in less than three minutes. However, the defense would hold them down the next 17, as W&L would only score 18 more.
After that early run, Brown scored his second basket of the game, and Josh Freund followed it with an easy layup thanks to Desgain. Things picked up quickly as the two teams went back and forth and the lead changed five times in less than two minutes. Rhyle Scott took the first Randolph lead with an and-one.
Following stout defense on both sides, the WildCats went on an 11-3 burst. Desgain started it, and Ryan Fields tallied the next two baskets. Brown ended the run with five straight, including his first three of the afternoon. Andrew Franz hit a layup, but the 'Cats came straight back with five points. Nick Goble scored off a great pass from Scott, and Brown hit his second from deep.
The teams traded buckets over the final minutes of the half, but it was highlighted by play from two seniors. Eddie blocked a shot with seven seconds remaining and Desgain finished the layup before the buzzer went off, giving Randolph the 31-24 halftime lead.
Defense prevailed early on in the second stanza, as the teams could only muster four points apiece in the first four minutes. Austin Piatt then knocked down a three for the Generals, but Brown was right there to do the same, keeping a seven-point advantage.
Devin Kearns scored for Washington and Lee, but this time it was Eddie's turn to make some big shots. He made an acrobatic layup, before hitting a triple off of a pass from Reid Jacoby.
Once again, points went back and forth, as Freund scored twice for the hosts. However, Kearns hit a three with 10:43 to cut the deficit to five. W&L hit three free throws in a row, before Brown made two. Baskets were traded keeping the Randolph lead at four with seven minutes remaining.
After Kearns was called for an illegal screen, Brown sunk another three, with Jacoby getting the assist. But the Generals would not go away, bringing the score to 55-52 with 4:19 left to play. Randolph called a timeout shortly after, and coming out of a timeout, Brown found Eddie for a three to put them up six. Free throws would be exchanged throughout the rest of the game, but the seniors were able to be subbed off the court with time on the clock to a standing ovation.
Brown's career-high also came with a team-high nine rebounds. Freund and Fields added 10 points apiece, while Desgain had seven, five rebounds, and four assists. The 'Cats did a number on the boards, outrebounding Washington and Lee (10-15 overall, 3-13 ODAC) 38-29. Franz and Kearns tallied 16 each in the loss.
Randolph (14-11, 8-8) ends the regular season in a four-way tie for fifth. After all of the tiebreakers were looked at, the WildCats were given the sixth seed in next week's ODAC Tournament. The reward will be hosting W&L again on Tuesday night. The game will begin at 7 p.m.