LYNCHBURG, Va.- The Randolph men's basketball team returned to Giles Gymnasium for its first game after Thanksgiving on Saturday afternoon as it hosted Johnson and Wales. Four starters reached double figures as the WildCats defeated JWU by the score of 93-86.

Randolph improves to 4-1 overall on the season. JWU drops to 1-6.

Back-to-back three points baskets by Landon Wagoner (Martinsville, Va./Carlisle School) and Evan Wiehe (Cleveland, OH/Nordonia) to start the game gave Randolph a 6-0 lead. After a layup by JWU's Malcolm Warthen made it 6-2, Wiehe responded for the WildCats with another three to increase the Randolph lead to 9-2. JWU rallied to close to one possession at 9-6 but the 'Cats pulled out in front by two possessions. With Randolph leading 20-13, Johnson and Wales went on a 7-0 run to close to within one point, 20-19, at 9:45. A 16-8 run by Randolph, however, staked the home team to a nine-point advantage, 36-27, with just over five minutes remaining in the first half. Johnson and Wales rallied again to close to one point, 38-37 with exactly a minute remaining. Amari Gorham's (Yorktown, Va./Yorktown) layup with time expiring gave Randolph a 40-37 lead at halftime.

In the second half, Wagoner started off much like the first half with a three-point basket to increase the Randolph lead to 43-37. That was part of a 12-5 run that gave the WildCats a 52-42 lead with 14:35 showing on the game clock. After JWU cut their deficit to six points, Randolph upped its advantage to 14 points with a 12-2 run. Johnson and Wales would recover to make it a one-possession game, 68-66, with 6:27 remaining to play. It was a three-point lead for Randolph, 71-68, with under six minutes remaining. The WildCats went ahead 81-68 thanks to a 10-0 run. Johnson and Wales was able to get to within five points as late as four seconds remaining but Jordan Phillips McLoyd (Johnson City, Tenn./Science Hill) sank a pair of free throws to ice the game for Randolph.

Randolph shot 40% overall from the field and 40.5% from behind the three-point arc. The WildCats were also effective from the free throw line making 18-of-19 attempts (94.7%). Johnson and Wales made 51% of its overall shots and 46.7% in three-point attempts. JWU won the rebounding battle 37-36. Randolph led in points off turnovers 19-13 and in second chance points 19-8.

Phillips-McLoyd finished with 23 points, five rebounds, and four assists. Wagoner dropped a career-high 20 points and was 6-of-7 in three-point baskets made. He added seven rebounds and two assists. Wiehe scored 17 points, came away with five steals, and dished out four assists. Gorham contributed 14 points and seven rebounds.

Randolph returns to ODAC play on Wednesday as it travels to Shenandoah. Game time from Winchester is at 7:00 p.m.