DANVILLE, Va. - Randolph-Macon Men's Basketball had three different players in double figures in a 62-60 loss at Averett on Wednesday evening.
The Basics:
Score: Averett 62, #2 Randolph-Macon 60Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Venue: Danville, Va. // Grant Center // Averett UniversityÂ
Records: Randolph-Macon (11-1, 3-1 ODAC), Averett (9-3, 2-1 ODAC)
How it Happened:
- Randolph-Macon started the game with two big three-pointers by Keishawn Pulley Jr. (Richmond, Va./St. Christopher's School) and Delani Hammonds (Charlotte, N.C./Ardrey Kell) to take a 10-4 lead with 15:50 on the clock. Averett used two three balls of its own by Timayahs Bracey and Mason Mitchell to trail 14-10 midway through the first half. The Yellow Jackets got six straight points from Jabril Robinson (Rockville, Md./South Kent Prep) to keep the lead, answered with four straight from Terrell Fitzgerald and RMC held a 24-18 lead with 8:37 left in the half. Averett used free throws to get within one point, but Malcolm Hodges (Richmond, Va./Monacan) and Robinson both made buckets to shoot the lead back to 29-24 with 1:56 on the clock. Amr Areikat (Ramallah, Palestine./Langley) made the final bucket of the half for the Lemon and Black, taking a 33-27 lead into halftime.Â
- In the second half, Hammonds kicked off play nailing a three-pointer to Randolph-Macon its biggest lead of the game at nine points, 36-27. The Cougars scored seven of the next eleven points and with 15:56 on the clock, RMC ahead 40-34 lead. The Cougars scored four straight points and used tough defense to cut the lead for the Yellow Jackets to 43-41 with 11:36 left in regulation. Averett saw Josh Seiler and Zach Skogen make back-to-back triples, giving the lead to the Cougars at 49-43 with 9:44 on the clock. Pulley Jr. stopped the scoring drought the Randolph-Macon with a three ball, cutting the deficit in half, RMC still trailing 49-46 with 7:46 left in regulation. Theo Antinori (Asheville, N.C./Rabun Gap) capped off an 8-0 run for the Yellow Jackets with a three-pointer, giving the lead back to RMC 51-49. Mason Mitchell buried a three ball of his own, swinging the lead back to the Cougars, 52-51. Robinson made a driving lay-up plus the foul shot with 3:52 on the clock and changed the lead back to Randolph-Macon, 54-52. In the final minutes both teams traded free throws and Pulley Jr. made a pair to give the Lemon and Black a 58-56 lead. Ty Showalter (Charlotte, N.C./Butler) made a lay-up to extend the lead to 60-56 with 1:30 on the clock. Averett was down by two points and Bracey hit a wild three point shot with :8 seconds left, RMC now trailing 61-60. Randolph-Macon had a clean look from behind the arc that would not fall. The Yellow Jackets had a final chance with under a second on the clock down by two points, Showalter made a two point jumper just after the final horn and the Cougars would win 62-60.      Â
Inside the Numbers:
- Averett shot 45.7 percent from the floor, as Randolph-Macon knocked down 35.1 percent of its shots.Â
- The Cougars outrebounded the Yellow Jackets 40-to-26 in the entire game.
- Robinson led the Lemon and Black in scoring with 17 points. The senior also had two assists, two steals, one rebound and a blocked shot.Â
- Hammonds ended the game with 11 points, three assists, two steals and two rebounds.Â
- Pulley Jr. was the final player in double figures with 10 points. The senior also pulled down five rebounds, had one steal and one assist. Â
For the Record:
- Pulley Jr. has now made 188 career three-pointers, putting the senior tied in the fourth spot in career three-pointers made with Calvin Croskey'12.
- Robinson moved into tenth on the career three-pointers made list with 166, passing Will Coble'24.Â
Up Next
Randolph-Macon will stay on the road and take on Guilford on Saturday, January 10 at 2:00 p.m.Â
