Box Score SALEM, VA- Paced by a career-high 29 points from junior guard AJ Dowell, the Roanoke College men's basketball team upset the nation's 20th-ranked team, the Guilford College Quakers, on Wednesday night in Salem, VA. The Maroons have now won six consecutive games and improve to 7-7 overall and 3-4 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The Quakers suffer just their second loss in 13 tries and second loss in seven conference games. This marks the second straight year the Maroons have upset a nationally-ranked opponent at home, last season defeating #11 Hampden-Sydney College.

Dowell got the first two of his 29 points to open the game's scoring to give the Maroons the 2-0 lead. Guilford's Ben Strong, who also scored 29 points, tied the score at two moments later and following an Eric Belkoski layup and Jordan Snipes three-pointer Guilford led 7-4 three minutes in. The Quaker lead got to five points, 11-6, with 13:45 left on two George Neville free throws.

Sparked by a three-pointer from the corner by senior Bart Davis, the Maroons used a 7-2 run to even the score at 13 with 11:15 showing on the clock. Guilford's Caleb Kimbrough, however, countered with a three. After Curtis Peery trimmed the lead to one with a short jumper, the Maroons defense created back-to-back turnovers, the second a steal by Aaron Tyson which resulted in a Dowell layup, giving Roanoke a 17-16 lead. The Maroons never trailed again.

The score was tied three times after, the final time at 24. A Zach Milton second chance layup, a Ben Lawler fastbreak layup on a Keith Carter assist, and a Lawler stick-back jumper and the Maroons owned a six-point lead, 30-24, with 4:59 left in the first half. The Maroons held the lead the rest of the half and at the break led 36-33.

Roanoke's lead got to a many as 10 points in the second half, 57-47, that midway through. Twice Guilford got to within two points, the second time on a Strong three-point play with 6:06 left. That made the score 60-58.

Dowell then put the Maroons on his back, scoring the next seven RC points. The first two came on a jumper. On Roanoke's next possession, the Salem, VA native drove to the basket, was fouled, and made the free throw to give Roanoke a 65-59 lead.

The Quakers responded with a Belkoski basket, but another Dowell drive to the basket gave the Maroons two more points from the free throw line, giving the home team a 67-61 lead with 3:25 left. With 1:35 left in the game, Guilford's Snipes hit a fade-away jumper from the baseline, but again it was Dowell that answered for the Maroons, scoring his 28th and 29th points on a 17-foot shot from the wing.

The Quakers sent the Maroons to the free throw line three times in the final minute but Roanoke was only able to make one. That one, however, came with 16 seconds left from Shrader, giving Roanoke a four-point edge, 72-68. The Quakers got off two three-point attempts in the final 10 seconds, neither of which connected, and then ended the game with their 18th turnover, that at the buzzer.

Dowell made 11 of his 15 shots from the floor and all three of his free throws. He also had two assists and three steals. Carter finished the game with just two points, but also six assists, six rebounds, and three steals. Lawler finished the game with six points for the Maroons, who went just 8-for-16 from the line.

Strong, who leads the ODAC in scoring and rebounding, matched Dowell's 29 points but also added 13 rebounds and seven blocked shots. He went 11-for-11 from the line. Snipes scored 20 points.
Roanoke hosts Lynchburg College Saturday at 2:00pm and Hamdpen-Sydney Sunday at 2:00pm.

Roanoke vs. Guilford Box Score