Box Score
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Senior
Kwasi Amponsah put up a career-high 34 points in Roanoke College's 75-72 victory over Haverford College (1-1), to win the Equinox Classic on Saturday.
The Maroons open with a 2-0 record for the first time since the 2007-08 season. This is also the first tournament Roanoke has won since the 2008-09 season when it captured the Christopher Newport Invitational. Amponsah was named Equinox Classic MVP, while
Andrew Daniels was named to the All-Tournament team.
Along with Amponsah's career-high 34 points, 24 of which he scored in the second half, he also set a career record of 12 field goals made in a game. The last time a Maroon scored 30 points in a game was when Amponsah put up 30 against Shenandoah on December 10, 2011. He also tied a career record of five three pointers made in a game. Amponsah is just 93 points from being the 34
th player in school history to score 1000 points.
Roanoke jumped out to a 14 point lead in the first half, which would also turn out to be the Maroons' largest lead of the game. The large advantage was gained after
Jordan Thacker knocked down a three pointer with 4:30 to play to put Roanoke up 32-18. The Maroons wouldn't enjoy the large lead for long as Haverford spurred a 10-0 run to end the half and cut the deficit to four, 32-28.
Amponsah led the Maroons in scoring at the half with 10 points, followed by Thacker who had six. Haverford's Brett Cohen also put up 10 points in the first period, while Louis Cipriano finished with seven, five of which started the Fords' 10-0 run to end the half.
Haverford continued its run in the start of the second half, as Cohen and Cam Baker each scored four points to give the Fords a 36-32 lead. Haverford extended its lead to nine, 44-35, before Amponsah caught fire from long range. He went 3-3 from behind the arc in the next three possessions to bring Roanoke back within 3, 47-44. After another Amponsah trey and six points from
Clay Lacy, Roanoke tied the game up at 53-53.
Both teams continued to trade the lead until the Maroons ultimately gained the advantage after Amponsah was fouled while attempting another trey. Roanoke trailed by three, and Amponsah sank each of the three free throws to tie the game with 1:40 to play.
Andrew Daniels converted on an offensive rebound with 29 seconds to play to put the Maroons up two, 74-72.
Clay Lacy then sealed the game with a free throw in the final seconds to give Roanoke the 75-72 advantage. Amponsah then made a block at the end of the game to complete the victory and start Roanoke off with a 2-0 record.
The Maroons outshot the Fords 46.7 to 42.4 percent from the field, while also leading in the rebound (37-35) and assist (17-11) category. Haverford held the edge in steals 10-7.
Clay Lacy led the squad in rebounds with six, followed by three other players (Smith, Eacho and Ramirez) who each tallied five. Lacy also finished the game with 11 points.
Ethan Humphries and Ramirez topped all players in the assist category with six a piece.
The Maroons return to action on November 23-24 as they host the Dick Leftwich V-Foundation Classic at Bast Gymnasium. Roanoke will take on Johnson & Wales University at 6:00 PM on Friday, then face Goucher College at 3:00 PM on Saturday.
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