SALEM, Va. - Randolph-Macon women's basketball saw double-doubles by
Catherine Kagey (Roanoke, Va./Faith Christian) and
McKenzie Matheny (Fairfax Station, Va./West Springfield) to help guide the Yellow Jackets to their first conference championship game since 2021-22.
The Basics:
Score: (1) Randolph-Macon 62, (4) Shenandoah 49
Venue: Salem, Va. // Salem Civic Center
Records: Randolph-Macon (26-1, 16-0 ODAC), Shenandoah (17-10, 11-5 ODAC)
How it Happened:
- Shenandoah knocked down its first two baskets to jump in front 5-0 early in the first period. The Yellow Jackets took its first lead of the game at by way of a Matheny offensive rebound and the putback to set the score at 10-9. Matheny scored the next two baskets for Randolph-Macon and total eight in the period. The Hornets nailed a three ball coming out of the media timeout to take a 17-14 lead with under three minutes in the period. Neither team scored in the final two plus minutes and Shenandoah would take the 17-14 lead into the second period.
- In the second period, Randolph-Macon saw back-to-back baskets by Matheny and Kagey to swing the advantage back to the Yellow Jackets 18-17 with 7:24 on the clock. The Hornets answered with a bucket off of an offensive rebound and added two free throws, taking back the lead 21-18 with 5:21 on the clock. Sam Smith (Chesterfield, Va./St. Gertrudes) made a nice move to the basket for a layup to cut into the Shenandoah lead, now at 21-20 at the under five minute media timeout. Smith nailed a three-pointer out of media timeout to give the Lemon and Black the lead back at 23-21. The Hornets grabbed the lead in this battle with a quick five points and have the advantage 26-23 with 2:28 left in the period. Shenandoah added two last second free throws with three seconds left to take a 28-25 lead into halftime.
- The Yellow Jackets made two free throws to open the third period to get within one point at 28-27. The Lemon and Black found themselves down 31-27, used tough defense and climbed back into the lead with a 7-0 run. The run was capped off by a Juliana Park (Fairfax Station, Va./Davidson Day) three ball and lead 34-31. Randolph-Macon extended the run to 12-0, highlighted by a Kagey bucket and the free throw to take a 39-31 lead with 3:32 left in the period. The Hornets ended their scoreless drought with two free throws, but Marisa Ziegler (Forest Hill, Md./John Carroll) buried a three-pointer on the following possession to extend the lead to 41-33 with 2:10 on the clock. Matheny and Kagey led the Lemon and Black with tough baskets in the final moments and Randolph-Macon will have a 47-38 lead into the final ten minutes.
- In the fourth period, the Hornets scored the first five points to pull within four, still down 47-43 with 7:15 left in regulation. Park made a much needed three pointer and Kagey converted a tough layup, to up the lead at 52-43 with 5:08 remaining. Smith knocked down two free throws with 3:47 on the clock to give the Lemon and Black their biggest lead of the game at ten points, 56-46. In the final moments Randolph-Macon made clutch buckets and stood tough on defense to win 62-49 to advance to the conference final.
Inside the Numbers:
- Randolph-Macon shot 41.7 percent from the floor, as Shenandoah knocked down 25.5 percent of its shots.
- The Yellow Jackets outrebounded the Hornets 40-to-30 in the entire game.
- Kagey led the Yellow Jackets with her eleventh double-double of the season. The senior scored 20 points, grabbed 17 rebounds and dished out two assists. She also was efficient from the field going 9-for-15 and had four blocks and four steals.
- Matheny ended the game with a double-double, recording 14 points and 10 rebounds. The junior also had five steals and two assists to add to her scoreline.
- Smith was the third Yellow Jacket in double figures with 13 points on the evening. The sophomore also added eight rebounds and two assists to her line.
- Park knocked down three different three-pointers in the game to total nine points. She also had two rebounds and an assist to complete her night.
For the Record:
- The win today moves the Yellow Jackets into the conference championship game for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
- The win tonight is also the 26th of the year for Randolph-Macon, the most since the 26-5 record set back in the 2006-07 season.
Up Next
Randolph-Macon will take on the winner of #3 Washington and Lee/#7 Ferrum in the conference championship game tomorrow night at 8 p.m.
