THE GAME FACTS
Score: Roanoke 77, Brooklyn 55
Location: Salem, Va.

The Short Story:  Zach Rosenthal led all scorers with 16 points as the Roanoke men's basketball team advances to the championship game of the 2023 Frankie Allen Tip-Off Tournament with a 77-55 win over the Brookly Bulldogs on Friday night at the Cregger Center. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The two teams went back and forth early with Bulldogs leading 9-8 with 16:23 left in the first half. However it was the final lead they would have the rest of the game. The Maroons responded with a quick 5-0 run. After a quick Brooklyn basket, Roanoke went on a larger, 14-0 run to lead 27-11 with 8:07 left in the opening period. The Maroons pushed it even further with a 18-6 stretch to end the first half and head into the locker room with a 45-17 lead. 
• The Maroons started the second half with another 7-0 run to take a 52-17 lead and led by as 39 with 16:16 left in the game. The Bulldogs would slowly chip away at the Roanoke lead, including an 11-2 run to end the game, but with not enough time the Maroons secured the 22-point, 77-55 win over Brooklyn.

BY THE NUMBERS

• In addition to Rosenthal's 16 points, Justin Kuthan and Joshua McClary also reached double-figure points with 13 and 12, respectively.
• Roanoke led the Bulldogs in several categories including: points off turnovers (25-10), points in the paint (36-20), and fast break points (11-3).

UP NEXT

• Roanoke will take on Berry (Ga.), who won 86-76 over Southern Virginia, in the championship game of the tournament on Saturday at 3 p.m.