LEXINGTON, VA--The Roanoke College men's basketball team outscored Washington & Lee 8-3 over the final 4:01 of the game to pull out a 64-60 win in Lexington, VA on Saturday night. The Maroons, who have now won 21 of the last 22 meetings with the Generals, improve to 11-8 on the season and 5-7 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The Generals, who beat the Maroons in Lexington last season, fall to 2-18 overall and 0-13 in the ODAC.
The Maroons held a slim 31-29 lead at the half, but the Generals came out on fire in the second half, hitting their first eight shots from the field. Washington & Lee took a six-point lead on the sixth of those eight consecutive shots, a layup from Kyle Wischer. The Maroons trimmed the lead to one, on a
Josh LaPorte (Staunton, VA/Riverheads) three-pointer and a
Ben Shrader (Tazewell, VA/Mercer Christian) layup. Wischer then drained a three to give W&L a four-point lead. After the Maroons trimmed the lead in half, the Generals got the eighth of those field goals, a shot from the baseline by Matt Lawless, making the score 46-42.
A Robbie Winfield (Athens, TN/McMinn Co.) tip-in second chance layup and a
Kevinn Hunter (Dale City, VA/Gar-Field) three-point play gave RC a one-point edge, 47-46. The Generals tied the score at 49 and then again at 51. Mike Stuart then hit one of Washington & Lee's five three-pointers in the second half to give the Generals a 54-51 edge. Hunter muscled in another layup to make the score 54-43. After four W&L missed shots, Shrader hit his first three-pointer of the game, a shot from the top of the key, to give Roanoke a 56-54 lead. Chris Halkitis answered with another W&L three, making the score 57-56. Hunter responded with another layup for the Maroons and after two W&L turnovers, Shrader hit his second three-pointer, this one from the wing on a fastbreak, to give the Maroons a 61-57 edge.
Again, the thee-point line helped W&L, with Halkitis hitting another long shot. Shrader then made one free throw and LaPorte hit two with just about five seconds to play to ice the win for the Maroons.
The Maroons were able to build themselves as much as a nine-point lead, 31-22, in the first half, of play. After grabbing that lead, which came on the second of two
Jamiel Allen (Richmond, VA/The Steward School) free throws with 4:01 left in the half, the Maroons were unable to score again. The Generals hit a three and two layups to close the half.
LaPorte finished the game with career-highs in points, rebounds, and steals. He finished the day with 14 points, 16 rebounds, and five steals. Hunter led all scorers with 19 points, getting 11 in the second half. Shrader, who scored just two points in the first half, ended the day with 13. The Maroons played the game without starter
Jared Butler (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) who was out with a minor knee injury. He is expected back for Roanoke's next game, which is Wednesday against the Wasps of Emory & Henry College. The Maroons and the Wasps get their game underway at 7:00pm in Roanoke's C. Homer Bast Center.
Roanoke vs. Washington & Lee Box Score
