SALEM, VA--Behind 25 points and seven rebounds, both career-highs, from sophomore guard Jared Butler (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) the Roanoke College men's basketball team defeated Washington & Lee University for the 19th consecutive time, this time an 86-63 decision in Salem, VA on Saturday evening.
The Maroons even their Old Dominion Athletic Conference record at 2-2 and improve to 8-3 overall, while W&L, which does not have a win in the series since the 1994-95 season, falls to 2-9 and 1-4 in the ODAC.
The first four minutes of the game were all Washington & Lee. Freshman guard Chris Halkitis hit three three-pointers in the first four minutes to spark the Generals to a 14-5 lead, their largest of the game. It was then a 20-5 Roanoke run that gave them complete control of the contest. Butler had three three-pointers of his own in the run, the third coming with 8:20 to play to give the Maroons a 25-18 lead. Butler bookended all of the scoring with the three after starting the streak earlier in the half with the first of his six threes in the contest. Drew Crowder (Radford, VA/Radford) had an acrobatic old-fashion three-point play during the run.
After the Generals trimmed the Roanoke lead to four points on a Coleman Lyons three-point play, the Maroons outscored their guests 17-4 over the final seven minutes of the first half and took a 42-25 lead into the break. Junior Kevinn Hunter (Dale City, VA/Gar-Field) had six of his 16 points in the game over the final seven minutes of the half.
Twelve minutes into the second half, the Maroons had pushed their lead out to 30 points, 75-45, and held a comfortable lead the rest of the way. Washington & Lee got no closer than 23 points the rest of the way. For the contest, the Maroons shot a season-best 51.7 percent from the field, the first time this season they have shot over 50 percent from the floor. The 11 three-pointers the Maroons hit tied a season-high, matching their effort in the St. Joseph's (ME) win on Wednesday.
Butler finished Saturday's contest with 25 points, going 7-for-12 from the field, including 6-for-7 from three-point range. He also had seven assists, bettering his previous career-high of five. Turning the ball over just once, Butler also had three rebounds, a block, and two steals. Hunter did not miss a shot in the game, making all seven of his field goals. Crowder finished with 13 points, while Joe Milton (Christiansburg, VA/Eastern Montgomery) came off the bench to score eight points. Jamiel Allen (Richmond, VA/Steward School) gave the Maroons three assists off the bench as well.
Halkitis scored nine of his team-high 16 points in the first four minutes of the game, making the three-pointers and just one after. He went 4-for-8 from three-point range and also had three assists and two steals. David Will and Lyons each had 12 points for Washington & Lee which now trails Roanoke 66-33 in the all-time series record.
The Maroons return to action on Wednesday in a road game against the Quakers of Guilford College. The Maroons and Quakers, who met in last season's ODAC quarterfinal round, with the Maroons winning, will get their game on Wednesday started at 7:00pm i
