SALEM, VA-The Roanoke College men's basketball team won its third consecutive game and in the process won its own Domino's Classic in Salem, VA, that with a 60-48 win over Drew (NJ) University. The Maroons improve to 4-7 overall with the win, which came in their final non-conference regular season game. Drew falls to 3-6 overall. In the tournament's consolation game, Chestnut Hill (PA) College defeated Ferrum College 81-74.
Roanoke 60, Drew 48
Roanoke's defense limited the Rangers to just six first half field goals and 17 first half points in the 12-point victory. After taking a 5-2 lead just over a minute into the game, the Maroons went over seven minutes without scoring a single point and in the process fell behind by as many as six points, 11-5. After Drew took that 11-5 lead with 11:53 to play in the first, the Maroons went on a 14-0 run over the next six minutes.
Tee Jackson got the run started with a steal near halfcourt and a subsequent fastbreak layup. Jackson then followed with a reverse layup to trim the Drew lead to just two with 10:45 to play. A Keith Carter scooping layup tied the game at 11, while a Zach Milton bucket near the paint with 8:11 to play gave the Maroons the lead for good. Four points from Peery and two Shrader free throws capped the big run.
Ahead by eight with under 40 seconds left in the first half, the Maroons took a double-digit lead on a curling three-point field goal from the top of the key from Milton and then took a 12-point lead heading into the break on an Aaron Tyson free throw with 1.1 seconds left. After extending their lead to 17 early in the second, the Maroons allowed the Rangers to within eight points, but no closer, later in the half.
Roanoke's Ben Shrader was named the tournament MVP after scoring 16 in each of the two games. He made four of his five three-point attempts on Thursday. LaPorte and Peery were also named to the team. Drew's Chris Lopez was also named to the All-Tournament team.
Chestnut Hill 81, Ferrum 74
After racing out to an early 22-9 lead, Chestnut Hill allowed Ferrum to creep back into the game and held on for the win in the tournament's consolation game. The Griffins took a 22-9 lead on two Shawn Bolling free throws with 10:25 left in the first half. Following a Ferrum timeout, the Panthers began a comeback that saw them limit CHC to just four points over the next six minutes. In the process, Ferrum freshman Robbie Price was able to spark the Panther offense with three three-pointers.
With 4:57 left and on a Keith Harris bucket in the paint, Ferrum took its only lead of the game, 27-26. Bolling countered with two more free throws to give the Griffins the lead for good. Ahead by five at the break, the Griffin lead got no bigger than 10 in the second half, that on an Isaac Greer three with just under four minutes showing.
Bolling was named to the All-Tournament team as while Ferrum Cedric Jones who had two double-doubles in the tournament.
