For Immediate Release – 1/28/17 - #166
WildCats Fall in Agonizing Fashion

LYNCHBURG, VA – Dalon McHugh hit a three-point shot with four seconds on the clock, giving Shenandoah University a three-point lead over the Randolph College men's basketball team.  SU held on for the 65-62 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) win on Saturday.

The 'Cats earned an early lead thanks to a wealth of distribution.  Ryan Fields made an early layup, with Andy Toe following suit.  Malcolm Clark tallied for the visitors, but Brian Smith answered with a make from behind the arc, giving the WildCats a 7-2 lead.

However, as would be the pattern all afternoon, the Hornets fought back and cut the deficit.  McHugh hit his first three of the game and Clark added a free throw, bringing the margin to one.  But Randolph answered with another big run.

Nick Goble and Fields made back to back layups, with Reid Jacoby assisting on both.  Then Goble had a put-back on an offensive rebound.  McHugh scored to bring the game to 13-8, but Jeremiah Davis and Smith combined for the next seven.  Davis had two close baskets around a three.

The lead held around 10 until the six-minute mark.  Smith hit another three, while Toe, Fields, and Goble all contributed to bring the board to 28-18.  But Clark answered with six-straight.  Points would be traded over the final minutes, with a late SU free throw putting the score at 31-28 entering the half.

Toe opened up the second with a strong layup, but the visitors began a run shortly after.  Shenandoah scored nine-straight, taking a four-point advantage at the 17:26 mark.  However, the deficit did not last.

Fields hit two tough shots in the paint, while Toe, Chase VanHorn, and Davis all followed suit.  The lead grew back to nine, as Fields hit a wing three.  McHugh converted a traditional three-point play, but Colton Lee answered.

The Hornets tallied eight of the next 10 (Fields hit another layup), bringing the margin to three.  The WildCats scored five of the next seven, but it set up another visitor burst.  Clark hit a layup with 4:13 on the clock, ending it and putting the visitors up 60-56.

Fields answered and he would do so again after a bucket on the other end.  This time he hit a tough jump shot with 2:39 left.  The well ran dry for both teams over the next two minutes, until Fields tied the game, hitting another tremendous shot with 37 seconds on the clock.  But it set up McHugh, who caught a pass as the shot clock wound down to zero, and he made the three.  The WildCats had a final attempt, but it was off target.

Fields posted a game-high 21 points, while Toe contributed 13 points and eight rebounds.  Goble led the team with 10, while Jacoby assisted on seven field goals.  Clark led the Hornets (7-12 overall, 3-7 ODAC) with 18 points and 10 rebounds.  McHugh added 11.

Randolph (7-12, 4-6) will continue its pattern of alternating between road and home games.  The WildCats will play on the road on Wednesday, traveling to Guilford College (16-3, 9-1) for a 7 p.m. tip-off.

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