Marlins Get Payback on Yellow Jackets, Advance to ODAC Semis

SALEM, Va. -- The No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan College men's basketball team scored 39 points in each half of Friday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) quarterfinal matchup with No. 7 Randolph-Macon College, claiming a 78-52 victory to avenge a 29 point loss in the regular season.

The Marlins jumped out to a hot first half behind a 57.1% shooting effort from the field. Virginia Wesleyan made four three-pointers before intermission, holding the Yellow Jackets to just a 1-for-7 mark.

Randolph-Macon looked to claim momentum early in the game as Daniel Noe scored five points in the first four minutes of the game while Virginia Wesleyan was held scoreless. Kaelin Poe ended the drought with a pair of free throws, starting a 10-0 Marlin run in the process. Poe finished with four points in the spurt as four Marlins found the scoring column.

Michael Taylor cut the deficit to one, 10-9, on a layup with 11:53 to go before halftime, but Keijon Honore answered with a three-pointer and the four-point lead. Randolph-Macon could not cut the deficit to anything less than four points the rest of the way.

Khory Moore had a strong first half for the Marlins, going 6-for-11 from the field for 13 points while making three steals.

Poe closed the first half with a layup to spot the Marlins a 39-27 halftime lead. Virginia Wesleyan came out of the break and picked up another early basket from Poe. Tim Jones made one of two free throws on Virginia Wesleyan's next possesion before back-to-back baskets, a layup by Aaron Sturdifen and a Jones three-pointer, capped off an 8-2 run to begin the final period with the Marlins up 47-29 with 17:24 to play.

Lamont Moore led Randolph-Macon (13-14) with 12 points and six boards while Noe added 11 points and six rebounds.

Moore led all scorers with 22 points as Poe finished with 11 and Khalil Barnette tallied 11 points and five rebounds off the bench.

The win was the first for the Marlins over Randolph-Macon since last year's national quarterfinal when the Marlins won 49-47 to advance to the Final Four. Friday's game was a rematch of last year's ODAC championship game, won by Randolph-Macon 81-74 in overtime.

No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan will face the winner of No. 3 Roanoke College and No. 6 Randolph College in the ODAC Semifinals Saturday at 8 p.m.