LYNCHBURG, Va.- The Randolph men's basketball team hosted its final contest of calendar year 2025 on Wednesday evening as the WildCats played Southern Virginia. The Knights defeated the 'Cats by the score of 95-87.
Randolph led 6-5 following a three-point basket by Chase Depriest (Clifton Forge, Va./Alleghany HS) at the 17:20 point of the first half. SVU then went on a 6-0 run to go up 11-6 at the under 16-minute mark. The WildCats tied the game twice and then went ahead 18-13 with 12:03 remaining in the period. With Randolph holding on to a 22-17 lead, the Knights drained back-to-back threes to go up 23-22 but Steven Burgess Jr. (Coeur d'Alene, ID/Coeur d'Alene HS) answered for Randolph with a three pointer of his own to give the WildCats a 25-23 advantage. The score would be tied up three more times by the Knights and twice by the WildCats in the next 5:22 of game time. After SVU took a 37-34 lead with 2:05 showing on the game clock, Randolph got five straight points by Stacy Byrd (Amelia Court House, Va./The Carmel), including a buzzer-beating basket, as the WildCats went into the locker room ahead 38-37.
In the second half, a pair of three-point baskets by Depriest lifted the WildCats to a 44-39 lead. After the Knights tied the game at 44-all, Burgess Jr. nailed a pair of three-point shots to put Randolph up 50-44. Southern Virginia led 60-59 with 10:19 left to play but the WildCats went on a 11-2 run to take its biggest lead of the night at 71-61 with 8:28 showing on the game clock. The Knights answered with a 14-0 run to grab the lead back and go up 75-71 with 5:08 to play. The 'Cats tied the score twice at 77-77 and 79-79 and pull to within a point of tying again at 82-81 SVU with 2:34 left in regulation. The Knights outscored the WildCats 13-6 in the last 2:16 to pull away and claim the victory.
Randolph made 50% (32-of-64) and 37.5% (12-of-32) of its three-point attempts on the night. SVU was good on 55.6% (35-of-63) of its overall shots and 47.4% (9-of-19) from behind the three-point arc. SVU dominated on the glass 45-25.
Depriest was one of five WildCats to reach double figures as he led the team with 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Burgess Jr. finished with 16 points, three assists, and two steals. Aveion Tucker (Newport News, Va./Woodside HS) added 14 points, three assists, and two rebounds. Byrd and Khalil Caple (Suffolk, Va./Kings Fork HS) both scored 10 points.
The WildCats will play Greensboro next Tuesday at the University of Lynchburg's Turner Gymnasium. Game time will be at 4:00 p.m.
