ASHLAND, Va. – #12 Women's basketball cruised past Notre Dame of Maryland University, 63-38, as all active Yellow Jackets were able to contribute.
The Basics:
Score: #12 Randolph-Macon 63, Notre Dame of Maryland 38
Venue: Ashland, Va. // Crenshaw Gym // Randolph-Macon College
Records: #12 Randolph-Macon (2-0, 0-0 ODAC), Notre Dame of Maryland (0-2, 0-0 United East)
How it Happened
- McKenzie Matheny (Fairfax Station, Va./West Springfield) opened the scoring for the Yellow Jackets, putting back-to-back layups in the basket for the first four points of the game. After the Gators responded with a layup of their own, RMC's offense opened up, as Morgan Miller (Lancaster, Pa./Penn Manor), Emily Olsen (Garnet Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley) and Lilly Davis (Mooresville, N.C./Mooresville) all converted on cutting layups to give Randolph-Macon a 12-to-two advantage. With just 13 seconds left in the quarter, Madison Langdon (Reading, Pa./Berks Catholic) found Brielle Baughman (East Berlin, Pa./Delone Catholic) for her first three pointer of the season, giving RMC a 15-to-two advantage heading into the second.
- Notre Dame of Maryland struck first in the second quarter with a free throw just seven seconds in. Erin Porter (Virginia Beach, Va./Kettle Run) fired back with her fourth triple of the season and first of the game to put her squad up, 18-to-three. After another free throw and bucket from the Gators, Sam Smith (Chesterfield, Va./St. Gertrudes) started to percolate, draining a three pointer and free throw of her own, keeping RMC up 24-to-six. In the final three minutes of the quarter, the Gators posted nine points in the form of three layups and three free throws. Langdon, Baughman and Rachael Anderson (Roanoke, Va./Cave Spring) knocked down shots to keep the Yellow Jackets up, 31-15 at the half.
- After the opposition dropped in the first two free throws of the half, Smith found a cutting Matheny for an easy deuce. While RMC let up a layup on its next defensive possession, an and-one from Matheny and another three from Porter helped Randolph-Macon out to a 39-19 lead. The connection stayed hot on the following possession, as Porter found Matheny a fast break layup before Smith posted another layup and free throw to keep her team up, 47-19. At the end of the quarter, a Gators layup was neutralized by Davis, as she came down and scored back-to-back floaters to put RMC up 53-21 after three.
- Notre Dame of Maryland was able to gain some momentum in the fourth quarter, as they strung together nine consecutive points to cut their deficit to 23. Smith stopped the run after checking back into the game and converting two free throws. The Gators continued to pepper Randolph-Macon with free throws down the stretch, getting up to 38 points on the evening. While the road team displayed its best effort in the fourth, back-to-back layups from Liz Wyrick (Greensboro, N.C./Greensboro Day) ended the contest, 63-38.
Inside the Numbers
- Randolph-Macon dominated on the glass, posting 38 points in the paint, while holding the Gators to just 20.
- The Yellow Jackets' bench registered its most points of the season, outscoring the Gators' bench 31-13. This was fueled by Wyrick and Lila Donnelly (Chesterfield, Va./Monacan), as they each posted the first points of their careers.
- Matheny led the game in points (11) and field goals (five), while shooting an efficient five-for-seven from the field. She is now the only Yellow Jacket this season to record-10-or-more points in multiple games.
- Snith finished second on the team with nine points, contributing a team-high four from the free throw line. Her six assists were the most in the contest. Extending back to last season, that is the most she has tallied in her past 13 games played.
- Olsen and Emion Byers (Louisa County, Va./Louisa) tied for a team-high seven blocks. After grabbing six rebounds against Dickinson, Byers has now nabbed six-or-more rebounds in consecutive games for the first time in her career.
Up Next
The Yellow Jackets return to the road to face off against Emory at the Emory Tip Off Classic in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday, November 15 at 1:00 p.m.
