NEWPORT NEWS, VA –  Christopher Newport took advantage of a cold shooting night for No. 24 Randolph-Macon as the Captains knocked off the Yellow Jackets 77-70 in the 2012-13 season opener for both teams. 

R-MC (0-1) shot 37.3% (28-of-75) from the floor, including 4-of-28 from behind the three-point line.  The Jackets went 10-of-20 from the free-throw line as well. 

The contest had a fast pace from the outset with both teams going on big runs during the first half of action.

R-MC jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead after a three-point play by Jamie Robinson.   CNU responded with an 18-3 run, capped by a Tre Benefield three-pointer with just over 14 minutes to go in the opening half.

R-MC fought back, scoring 16 of the next 20 points.   The Jackets took a 24-22 lead with 9:30 to go after Lamar Giggetts sank a jumper off a pass from Joe Hassell. 

The Captains then came back with a run of their own, outscoring R-MC 19-4 over the course of the next six minutes, grabbing a 41-28 advantage with 3:27 on the clock.

The Yellow Jackets rallied prior to the intermission, scoring nine of the last 12 points of the half to go to the locker room down 44-37.

CNU maintained a lead through the first 10 minutes of the second stanza with a Benefield three-pointer pushing the Captains advantage to 60-50.

The Yellow Jackets rallied with an 11-1 run and tied the game at 61-61 when Andre Simon converted a layup with 6:13 on the clock.

A Nik Biberaj three-point play on CNU's ensuing possession gave Christopher Newport the lead and sparked what proved to be a decisive 13-3 run for the Captains.

Giggetts led R-MC with 14 points and 10 rebounds.  Connor Sullivan finished with 13 points and Dylan Cole had 11 points and seven boards on the night. 

CNU (1-0), which received votes in the D3hoops.com Preseason Poll, got 25 points and 10 rebounds from Benefield. Biberaj made 8-of-16 shots from the floor en route to a 21 point, 11 rebound night.

Randolph-Macon will head to Stevenson this weekend for the inaugural Hoopsville National Invitational Classic.   R-MC will take on No. 16 Transylvania on Saturday at 8:00 p.m.  The Yellow Jackets will cap off the tournament with a 4:00 p.m. game on Sunday against No. 19 St. Mary's of Maryland.

www.rmcathletics.com