For Immediate Release – 2/14/17 - #190
WildCats Suffer Heart-Breaking, Buzzer Beater Defeat

LYNCHBURG, VA – The Randolph College men's basketball team came from behind and forced overtime against Washington and Lee University on Wednesday.  However, the Generals hit a shot at the buzzer of the extra session, winning the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) contest 85-82.

The play was fast paced right from the start and featured several runs by both sides.  The score was 6-5 for the visitors after a short time, with Andy Toe and Nick Goble scoring during that span.  But the Generals used a 9-2 run to spread out the margin.  It lasted only a short amount of time, as Brian Smith got the 'Cats going with a three.  Points were traded, with Ryan Fields and Smith (another three) answering to bring Randolph within four.

Fields kept the momentum going with a layup, but W&L hit a three.  However, Chase VanHorn and Colton Lee went back to back from behind the arc, giving the lead to the 'Cats.  Washington and Lee responded with a 12-4 run, retaking the advantage at 34-27.

VanHorn made the next layup, which Fields followed with a three off of a pass from Jeremiah Davis.  After a field goal on the other end, Reid Jacoby hit a deep three, cutting the deficit to one with 2:19 left.  However, the guests tallied the final eight points of the half, going into the intermission with a 44-35 lead.

Randolph came out of the break quickly, cutting the margin to five in less than two minutes.  Jacoby and Fields each tallied four points, while Andy Kleinlein had four for the visitors.  After a pair of free throws from the Generals, Smith knocked down another three, which started another burst.  Clayton Murtha made one of two after Smith, but Fields and Davis combined for five points, tying the game at 51.

Just as in the first half, W&L responded with a 9-1 run, before Goble made a strong layup down low.  Murtha hit two free throws to notch the score at 62-54, but the WildCats clawed back again.  Fields hit a tough jumper, VanHorn hit a shot from the line, and Jacoby nailed another big three, tying the score at 62.

The WildCats then took their first lead since the first half at 65-64, as Toe scored inside with five minutes left.  The blows then went back and forth the rest of the way.  Smith hit a runner in the paint, tying the score at 67 after a Kleinlein three.  Jacoby tied it from the line at 69, and Fields hit another free throw giving the team a 70-69 advantage.  Kleinlein grabbed it back with a three at the 2:30 mark, but Goble tied it down the other end off of a nice pass from Jacoby.

In the final minute of regulation, Fields hit a tough jump shot, giving the 'Cats the lead.  Kleinlein was then fouled and sunk both shots, sending the game to overtime with a 74-74 score.

The exchange continued in the added time, as Toe hit a free throw to take the first lead.  It was answered on the other end, but VanHorn went to the line after forcing an over the back foul.  He sunk both, bringing the advantage back.  Once again, the visitors answered, but Goble scored inside again off a great pass from Jacoby.

Fields made the score 82-78 with a late shot-clock three with 1:35 on the clock.  But Kleinlein responded shortly after, bringing the score to 82-81.  After a missed Randolph shot, Murtha was fouled and tied the game with his first free throw.  He missed the second and the 'Cats had a shot to win it.  However, it just rimmed out and Murtha gave the rebound to Kleinlein, who came down the court, and hit a 30-footer for the win.

Fields led all scorers with 25 points on the night.  He also recorded a double-double with 13 rebounds.  Jacoby added 15 points and six assists, while Goble (13) and Smith (11) also finished in double-figures.  Goble pulled down seven boards, as the WildCats outrebounded their opponents 38-33.  Kleinlein finished with 19 points for the Generals (10-14 overall, 6-9 ODAC).

Randolph (7-17, 4-11) will head on the road for its final game of the regular season.  The WildCats will travel to Virginia Wesleyan College (16-8, 9-6) for a 4:30 p.m. game on Saturday.

In addition to the intense action on the court, the 'Cats also wore yellow shoe laces.  It continues the initiative between Randolph athletics and the Randolph Student-Athlete Advisory, raising awareness for pediatric cancer.

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