LYNCHBURG, Va.- For just the second time in program history, the Randolph women's basketball team will play an ODAC Tournament quarterfinal game in Salem, Va. at the Salem Civic Center. The WildCats qualified as the fifth seed and will play fourth-seeded Shenandoah on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.
How They Got Here: Randolph was picked ninth in the ODAC preseason poll but defied expectations. The WildCats won their first three games and seven of their first eight to start the season. Their 16 overall wins and 12 conference victories are program records. The Hornets have been one of the hottest teams in the conference winning 12 of their last 13 games.
The Series: The two teams will be meeting for the 29th time overall. Shenandoah leads 17-11. The first meeting goes back to January 1980 which the 'Cats won 84-62 in Winchester. The WildCats' win in January ended a six-game winless streak to the Hornets.
In the ODAC Tournament: This is the second meeting between the two teams in the postseason with the last meeting occurring in 2014 in Winchester. Randolph is making its 19th ODAC Tournament appearance and won its only Tournament game in 2017. The WildCats qualified for eight straight tournaments from 1984 to 1991 but did not earn another berth until 2013. The Hornets have an 8-8 Tournament record and won the 2019 ODAC Championship.
Last Time: The two teams last played each other on January 12 in Lynchburg. A big second and third quarter effort helped lift the WildCats to a 76-45 victory. It was the first win for Randolph over Shenandoah since 2017. Teniyah Crenshaw-Patterson led with 25 points and Kylie Stark 23 points.
The WildCats: Randolph had two selections to the All-Conference Team in Stark (1st Team) and Crenshaw-Patterson (2nd Team, ROTY). Both players are 1-2 on the team in scoring average with 13 and 12.9 points, respectively. Cierra Cook is third in total points with 202 and averaging 9.6 points per game. She has reached double-digit scoring in three of her last four games. Stark is the team's leading rebounder with 135 and Crenshaw-Patterson at 131. Stark leads in steals with 51 and Yanessa Cabrera is second with 49. Cabrera has a team-high 87 assists. Randolph as a team has surrendered the fewest points with 52 per game. Opponents are shooting just under 23% from the three-point line.
The Hornets: Shenandoah comes into the game with an overall record of 19-5 and 13-5 record in ODAC play. ODAC First Teamer Olivia Weinel leads the team in scoring averaging 13 points a game. Third Teamer and ODAC Defensive Player of the Year Sierra St. Cyr has a team-high 42 steals and 86 assists. Ragan Johnson has a team-high 140 rebounds. The Hornets are the fourth–best scoring team in the ODAC at 64.8 points a game and are second in fewest points given up at 54.2
