SALEM, Va. – Senior Buzz Anthony (Arnold, Md./Archbishop Spalding) scored 20 points and dished out nine assists as the top-ranked and fifth-seeded Randolph-Macon men's basketball team won at 15th-ranked and top-seeded Roanoke 77-71 on Tuesday evening.

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The Maroons (10-2) scored the first three points before a pair of free throws by Anthony and a layup by sophomore Miles Mallory (Beltsville, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) gave the Yellow Jackets their first lead at 4-3. A three-pointer by Roanoke made it 6-4 before a triple and layup by junior Ian Robertson (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) sparked a 19-4 run at R-MC (10-0) took a 23-10 advantage with eight minutes remaining in the first half. The Maroons scored the next six points before a layup by Anthony halted the spurt. A jumper by Anthony and a follow by Robertson gave the visitors a 29-18 edge with three minutes left. Roanoke closed the half on a 10-5 run as R-MC led 34-28 at the break. Anthony paced the Yellow Jackets with 10 points and five assists, while Robertson added seven points and four rebounds. The R-MC defense held the Maroons under 30% shooting from the floor. The Yellow Jackets had a 16-4 advantage on points in the paint.

Robertson nailed a 3-pointer on R-MC's first possession of the second half to push the lead to 37-28. The Maroons hit a pair of treys around a layup by Mallory to shrink the deficit to five at 39-34. Mallory had five points in a 7-2 spurt as the Yellow Jackets went up 46-36 with 14:45 remaining. Roanoke used an 11-1 run to tie the game at 47-47 with 12 minutes left. Layups by Mallory, Talbert and Anthony gave R-MC a 53-47 lead midway through the period and sparked a 16-6 run as the Yellow Jackets went up 63-53 with 6:15 remaining. The R-MC defense held Roanoke without a field goal for more than six minutes. The Yellow Jackets pushed the lead to 13 at 70-57 with 1:45 left. R-MC scored its final seven points from the free throw line in recording the 77-71 victory.

Randolph-Macon athletics photo illustration

By The Numbers:

• R-MC had four score in double figures. Along with 20 by Anthony, Mallory had 18 points, Robertson had 15 off the bench, and Talbert tallied 11.
• The Yellow Jackets had a 40-12 advantage on points in the paint, and 23-11 edge in bench points.
• R-MC had a 33-29 edge on the boards. Mallory and Robertson both had seven rebounds.

For The Record:

• R-MC is 16-3 all-time in the semifinals of the ODAC Tournament.
• The Yellow Jackets are 7-8 all-time in ODAC title games.
• R-MC is in the championship game for the third consecutive season and is looking for consecutive titles for the first time since 1990 and 1991, its first two years in the ODAC.
• Anthony has 1,392 career points, good for 15th on R-MC's all-time list.
• Anthony has 552 career assists and 182 career steals, both third on R-MC's all-time lists.

Up Next:

• Randolph-Macon will play in the ODAC Championship Game on Thursday, March 11. The Yellow Jackets will play at the winner of No. 2 Ferrum and No. 3 Lynchburg.