SALEM, VA--The Roanoke College men's basketball team extended its winning streak to four games with a 70-53 win over visiting Guilford College in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action on Wednesday night in Salem. The Maroons are now 8-3 on the season and 3-2 in ODAC play, while the Quakers fall to 4-9, 3-4 in league action. The Maroons also improve to 25-5 all-time against their opponent from Greensboro, NC.
The story of the game was the Roanoke defense. RC's pressure defense limited Guilford to just 29.7 percent (19-of-64) from the field in the game and recorded 18 steals, three off the school record. Sophomore guard Robby Pridgen (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) was the defensive standout for the Maroons, posting a career-high seven steals in the contest. Brad Dunleavy (Roanoke, VA/William Fleming) and Jaimar Mansel (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) each added three in the game. In all, the Maroons forced 24 GC turnovers.
The Maroons held a slim two-point lead at the break, but outscored GC, 47-32 in the second frame. Just 1:08 into the second half, the Maroons pushed the lead to 10 after going on an 8-0 run. Guilford could not get any closer than five points the rest of the way, and the Maroons pushed the lead out to 17 with a 12-5 run over the final 3:36. Eight of those 12 points came from the free throw line.
Guilford got the game's scoring under way on a Todd Ashworth (High Point, NC/Southwest Guilford) bucket, but never led again. The Maroons did not score for the first 3:44 of the contest, but held as much as a 10-point lead in the opening stanza.
Colby Leftwich (Roanoke, VA/Patrick Henry) and Jason Strickland (Charlottesville, VA/Covenant) each had double-doubles for the Maroons. Leftwich finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Strickland posted 10 points and 11 rebounds. Pridgen and Dunleavy each tallied 14.
Paul Kindem (Chapel Hill, NC/East Chapel Hill) and Ashworth each led the Quakers with 11 points on the night. Ashworth also added a team-best nine rebounds. The Quakers managed to make just eight first half field goals, but kept the game close by forcing 13 Roanoke turnovers.
The Maroons head to Hampden-Sydney, VA on Saturday to take on the Tigers in a 2:00pm battle. The game is a rematch of the 2000 Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship contest, which saw the Maroons prevail, 69-63. Heading into Wednesday's action, the Tigers were 9-1 on the year, 3-1 in league play.
