Box Score
SALEM, Va--- Roanoke topped Stevenson, 92-84 in non-conference action Saturday afternoon at the Bast Center. The Maroons improved to 3-1 on the year, while the Mustangs fell to 3-3 on the young season.
Roanoke defeated Stevenson for the second-straight year,improving to 2-0 on the series. The Maroons are now 74-48 all-time against teams from Maryland. The Maroons used their bench to bring home the victory, holding a 50-15 advantage in points off the bench.
The Maroons shot 47% from the field, including 52% from the floor in the second half. The men scored 19 points off of 27 forced turnovers.
Stevenson jumped out to an early lead behind a 9-2 run to start play. Roanoke responded cutting the lead to two, 18-6 off after a
Kwasi Amponsah (Woodbridge, VA, Garfield) layup with 12 minutes remaining. The two teams then traded baskets over the next six minutes before two
Jack Hamilton (Arlington, VA, St, Stephen's St. Agnes) free throws gave Roanoke its first lead of the game, 29-28.
A
Matt Crizer (Covington, VA, Alleghany) buzzer-beater capped a 14-2 run over the final four minutes of play, to send the Maroons into the half with a 47-36 lead.
Jordan Thacker (Waynesboro, VA, Stuarts Draft) sparked the run, recording two steals and two assists in his first two minutes of action.
Corey Poindexter (Pulaski, VA, Pulaski County/Hargrave) contributed six points down the stretch of the first stanza.
A 17-6 run over the first six minutes of the play to increase the lead to 64-42, it's largest of the game. This run capped a total of a 31-8 run over the last ten minutes of action, carrying over from the first half. Amponsah finished two layups in the first minute of the second half to spark the second-half surge.
Stevenson slowly chipped away at the Maroons lead over the next 10 minutes of action with high full-court pressure. The Mustangs cut it to within five with just under two minutes left, 85-80. Roanoke shot 5-of-11 from the free-throw line over that span.
A traditional three-point play from Crizer, which came off a full court pass from Hamilton, gave the Maroons enough to pull away with just over a minute remaining.
Brett Burrier paced the Stallions with 26 points and 12 rebounds, while Andrew bishop added 17 points and 9 boards. Stevenson finished with five players who scored double digits.
Crizer led the three Maroons in double figures, tying a career-high with 21 points, going 8-of-13 from the field and adding five steals. Amponsah recorded a career-best 17 points, on 8-of-11 shooting, while Hamilton added 12 points and six rebounds.
Clay Lacy (Roanoke, VA, Cave Spring) led Roanoke with eight rebounds.
Joey Leech (Elliston, VA, Eastern Montgomery) chipped in on the defensive end, grabbing seven boards and four steals on the evening. Thacker finished with a career-high five assists, also adding four points and two steals off the bench.
The men return to action Wednesday December 1st, as they host Washington and Lee. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.
