The Basics:

Score: Randolph-Macon 52, Randolph 46  
Venue: Ashland, Va.//Crenshaw Gym//Randolph-Macon College 
Records: Randolph-Macon (10-4, 7-1 ODAC), Randolph (9-5, 3-5 ODAC)

How it Happened

• The game started with tough defense, while baskets were hard to come by in the first five minutes of the first period. Abbie Baker broke the ice with a lay-up at the 7:38 mark in the period for Randolph. Sam Smith knocked down a corner pocket three-pointer for Randolph-Macon's first points and lead of the game. Two possessions later, Cameron O'Neil hit a three ball fall from the top of the arc to give the Wildcats the lead back at 5-3. Elkins tied up the game with 6:15 left in the first at 5-5. The final six minutes saw both teams matching each other on the offensive end to set the score at 13-13 after one period. 
• Baker again broke the ice again in the second period with another lay-up, as both teams struggled again for the first four minutes to find baskets. Elkins had a great offensive possession, grabbing a rebound over a Wildcat player to convert the put back lay-up to tie the game back up at 15-15 with six minutes left. Randolph ended the final five minutes on a 9-4 run to take a 24-19 lead into the halftime break. Cait Velez made back-to-back high IQ defensive plays to keep the Wildcats off the scoreboard by causing two steals late in the second period. 
• The Yellow Jackets cut the deficit to 26-24, as Park split a pair of free throws with 8:01 left in the third period. Randolph answered with five straight points by Caiyah Smith and Cydney Bundy to gain a seven point advantage at 31-24. Smith answered with a four point run of her own to bring RMC within three at 31-28 with 4:58 remaining. Following two made free-throws by the Wildcats, the Lemon and Black erupted on a 9-0 run to take a 37-33 lead with 1:07 left in the third. Elkins started the run with six straight points and a driving lay-up plus the foul shot to give RMC its first lead since early in the first period. Smith capped off the run with another corner pocket three-pointer to send the crowd into a frenzy, RC made two free-throws to end the period, as Randolph-Macon took a 37-35 lead into the final ten minutes. 
• O'Neil knocked down a three ball on the Wildcats first possession of the final period to grab the lead back 38-37. Park answered with a three-pointer of her own to give Randolph-Macon the lead back 43-41. The three-point shot was working for both teams as Teniyah Crenshaw-Patterson joined in the fun and gave RC the lead 41-40. Bella Bruce knocked in the fourth consecutive three ball to make Randolph take a timeout down 43-41 with 8:34 left in the game. The three-pointer by Bruce helped the Yellow Jackets go on a 9-0 run to give them a 49-41 lead with 5:53 remaining. Park put a stamp on the game with a breakaway lay-up to give Randolph-Macon the 52-46 victory.   

Inside the Numbers

• Randolph-Macon shot 31.5% from the floor, as Randolph knocked down 30.8% of their shots.
• RC outrebounded the Yellow Jackets 39-to-36.
• Elkins recorded her sixth double-double of the season. The sophomore recorded 24 points, 17 rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal. Her 24 points is the most she has scored in a game in her career. 
• Smith ended the evening with ten points, three rebounds, two steals and an assist. The freshman also made two shots from behind the arc to tie her career high in that category. 
• Park finished with nine points, three rebounds and three assists. 
• Bruce scored seven points, grabbed three rebounds, dished out three assists and blocked two shots. 
• Velez was a defensive spark off the bench for the Yellow Jackets in 31 minutes. The junior finished with a career high in steals with five and added five rebounds. 

Up Next

Randolph-Macon heads to Ferrum College on Jan. 13 for a 2:00 p.m. tipoff.