Box Score LYNCHBURG, VA — The Randolph College men's basketball team looks to right the ship this week following four consecutive losses as the No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan College Marlins come to town Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. in the Randolph Athletics and Dance (RAD) Center before heading out on the road to take on Johnson & Wales University Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. in the Grady Cole Center in Charlotte, NC. Randolph is coming off a 0-2 week in which it lost two games by a combined nine points.
Game Details
Opponent: No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan College (11-1/4-0 ODAC)
Site: Lynchburg, VA
Facility: RAD Center
Date: January 11, 2011
Time: 7 p.m.
Live Stats
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Game Details
Opponent: Johnson & Wales (NC) University (0-18)
Site: Charlotte, NC
Facility: JWU Student Center
Date: January 14, 2011
Time: 2 p.m.
What to Look For
Randolph is in the middle of the season currently, and have hit a rough patch having lost four in a row and also five of its last six ball games. The WildCats have been getting pretty consistent efforts from Colton Hunt (Whittier, NC/Smoky Mountain) , but others have been up and down. Sophomore guard Mike Ehilegbu (Raleigh, NC/Ravenscroft) scored in double-figures in six of the first seven games but has reached 10 only once in the last five games. He will need to provide more for Randolph to be successful.
A Look at the Marlins
The second-ranked Marlins of VWC come to town on an 11-game winning streak, scoring in the 90 or more points in six of their last seven games. The most underrated point of Dave Macedo's group is their tenacious defense, as they held Haverford to only 47 points in their last game, a 99-47 win. DJ Woodmore leads the way offensively, as he is one of the best shooting guards in the nation. The two Chris's, Astorga and Teasley, are both multi-faceted wing players that can shoot the three and get to the rim. Senior Donald Vaughn averages 13.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game for VWC, as he shoots 58.2 percent from the floor. Woodmore is third in the ODAC in scoring for the Marlins, who are first in the conference in three-point shooting and turnovers allowed and second in field goal percentage and threes made.
A Look at the Wildcats
Johnson & Wales is struggling through another season, having going 0-18 to this point. Not a lot is known about the Wildcats, though they have played four games against Randolph opponents. JWU has played ODAC opponents Bridgewater (79-70) and Guilford (86-71), while losing twice to Averett University with whom Randolph scrimmaged early in the season. BJ Sumpter has been playing well for Johnson & Wales, as has DaShaun Alston. Both have put up double figures in each of the Wildcats' last four games.
Where Did That Come From?
Randolph has done a very good job at defending the three-pointer this year, that's why it was a surprise to see Emory & Henry hit 11 Saturday afternoon against Randolph. The 11 was the most given up by the WildCats this season.
Defense-Defense
Randolph will have a tough task this week in containing the potent Virginia Wesleyan offense, but the WildCats have the 20th best scoring defense in the nation coming into tonight's contest.
1,000 Is the Ticket
Hunt and senior post player Derrick Woods-Morrow (Greensboro, NC/NE Guilford) each are inching closer to becoming the first ever men at Randolph to score 1,000 for their careers. Currently, Woods-Morrow has 910while Hunt has 902. With their current scoring averages, Hunt would go over 1,000 in sevengames while Woods-Morrow would do it with nine more games.
Solid Shooters
Randolph enters the week as the third-best shooting team by percentage, having hit at a 46.6 shooting clip so far this season. That being said, Randolph is currently second from the bottom in three-point shooting, having hit only 68 all season.
On the Glass
Derrick Woods-Morrow has always been an active rebounder, and this season is proving that to be true again. Woods-Morrow is second in the conference in rebounding, grabbing 8.1 rebounds per contest.
Disciplined Defending
The WildCats defense has been good this season, but what they've done a good job with as well is defending without fouling. Randolph is picking up only 16 personal fouls per game, which leads the ODAC.
Zach Attack
First-year guard Zach Desgain (Richmond, VA/J.R. Tucker) has been a great addition to the team this year. He is in the top-20 in the conference in six different categories, including minutes, assists, defensive rebounds and steals.
Thriving On the Three
Randolph shot over 33 percent from downtown in six of its first seven games, going 5-1 when shooting above that point. Since then, Randolph has only shot over 27 percent once from behind the arc.
Against This Weeks Opponents
Randolph is 1-6 all-time against the Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan, though the last outing was the long WildCat win, knocking off the Marlins in the ODAC semifinals last season in Salem, VA. Randolph is 2-0 all-time against Johnson & Wales, winning both games last year against the Wildcats.
Records From Another Look:
Home: 4-1
Road: 2-4
Leading Scorer 14 or less: 0-4
Leading Scorer 15 or more: 6-3
When Hunt is Leading Scorer: 3-3
When Ehilegbu is Leading Scorer: 3-2
When Desgain is Leading Scorer: 1-1
When Woods-Morrow is Leading Scorer: 0-1
When Battaglia is Leading Scorer: 0-1
When Team FG% is .450 or Higher: 5-2
When Team FG% is .449 or Lower: 1-5
Against Reptiles: 0-1
Against Medieval Warriors : 1-1
Against Avians: 1-0
Against Felines: 1-1
Against Insects: 1-2
Against Auggies: 0-1
Against Trail Finders: 0-1
Against Military Leaders: 1-0
Against Large Prairie Animals: 1-0
Against Teams A-K: 4-4
Against Teams L-Z: 2-3
Against Virginia Teams: 5-5
Against Washington DC Teams: 1-0
Against Maryland Teams: 0-1
Against Michigan Teams: 0-1
Up Next
Randolph will play at home against Roanoke College January 18 against the Maroons in the RAD Center at 7 p.m., followed by a road trip Saturday evening, January 21 at 7 p.m. to Harrisonburg, VA for a bout with Eastern Mennonite University.
