Women's Basketball

Women's Basketball Eclipses Long-Standing Record as Bullins Erupts for 31

Box Score

LEXINGTON, Va. -- Today's 69-64 overtime win over Washington & Lee will be remembered for two things: Randolph setting the program record for wins in a season and the clinic sophomore Abigail Bullins (Asheboro, N.C./Asheboro) put on.

Randolph (11-13, 5-10 ODAC) finally earned an elusive 11th win in its fourth try, surpassing the 1997-98 season for the most wins in program history.

In addition, the team stays alive for a chance to host a home playoff game on Monday in the first round of the ODAC tournament.

Bullins carried the WildCats in the second half and overtime, scoring 27 of her 31 points in the game's 25 minutes, falling just short of her career high (34), set in her record-breaking game against Lynchburg in last year's ODAC tournament. 

Washington and Lee (6-17, 4-11 ODAC) got up early, leading for almost all of the first half, save for two one-point Randolph advantages late in the period.

Junior Megan Russell (Pinnacle, N.C./West Stokes) hit a jumper to put Randolph up 25-24 and Bullins did the same at 27-26.

Bullins finished the first half with just four points.

With Randolph down eight late in the second half, and W&L still successful offensively, junior Jensen Hoover (Woodstock, Va./Central) got a Randolph run started and Bullins scored eight straight WildCat points, pulling the teams level with just under a minute to go.

With 32 seconds left, junior Chelsea Tyler (Richmond, Va./Henrico) got ahead of the pack and was found by Bullins, putting Randolph up with 32 seconds left.

It was Randolph's third lead of the contest and the culmination of a 10-2 run.

On a second-chance attempt, W&L leveled with 4.3 seconds left, forcing extra time.

Bullins opened the scoring in overtime with a triple and Hoover answered a General jumper with a pair of free throws.

Following a 4-0 General run, Randolph once again looked to Bullins, who scored the game's next five points.

After she pulled down the team's biggest rebound of the game, Bullins was fouled and hit both free throws, icing the game.

Tyler put a bow on the win with a free throw of her own, giving head coach Allison Nichols and her troops a record-breaking win.

In the contest, senior Emilee Dunton (Forest, Va./Brookville), in her second year with Randolph, eclipsed 500 career points in black and yellow.

"That was a great win for our team," Nichols said. "I'm so proud of how hard the players have worked this season and how much heart they showed tonight."

While seedings are unofficial until being released by the league office, Randolph fans would be best served rooting for their WildCats this Saturday on Senior Day at the RAD Center, and cheering for Hollins to defeat the league's current No. 8 seed, Bridgewater. 

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