ASHLAND, Va. –
McKenzie Matheny (Fairfax Station, Va./West Springfield) compiled a season-high 24 points to go along with her 16 rebounds, guiding Randolph-Macon past Virginia Wesleyan for its 10th win in-a-row, earning a spot in the ODAC Semifinals.
The Basics:
Score: Randolph-Macon 68, Virginia Wesleyan 47
Venue: Ashland, Va. // Crenshaw Gymnasium // Randolph-Macon College
Records: Randolph-Macon (20-6, 14-3 ODAC), Virginia Wesleyan (14-12, 8-9 ODAC)
How it Happened
- Randolph-Macon got the scoring started with a familiar connection, as Sam Smith (Chesterfield, Va./St. Gertrudes) found Matheny down low for a layup at the 8:52 mark. With 5:53 to go, Erin Porter (Virginia Beach, Kettle Run) nabbed a steal and took it coast-to-coast for a fastbreak layup, knotting the contest at four a piece after a midrange jumper and layup from the Marlins. While VWU took the next four points of the contest, Madison Langdon (Reading, Pa./Berks Catholic) found Porter for a triple before dropping a pass down to Liz Wyrick (Greensboro, N.C./Greensboro Day) in the post for two, tying the game at nine through frame one.
- On the first possession of the second, Smith found Riley White (Hamilton, Va./Virginia Academy) and Porter open on the wings for back-to-back makes from downtown, surging RMC ahead, 15-11. The Yellow Jackets continued to make the right passes, leading to a corner three-ball from White and an and-one from Matheny down low, keeping RMC ahead 23-18 with 6:36 to go. Even though the Marlins threatened within two, a pull-up three from Smith helped the Lemon and Black find their rhythm. In the final 31 seconds, Matheny hit Wyrick for a layup before another Smith steal led to an open layup for Anna Wilcox (Asheville, N.C./A.C. Reynolds), extending the Yellow Jacket lead to 33-26 at the half.
- Matheny generated Randolph-Macon's first four points of the quarter, highlighted by a deep midrange shot and a cutting layup from a slick Porter feed. After Emion Byers (Louisa County, Va./Louisa) knocked down a jumper of her own, an offensive rebound and putback from Matheny gave her a double-double and her team a 41-30 lead with 5:44 to play in the third. The Yellow Jackets got the crowd to its feet, after three more tough buckets from Matheny and an and-one from Porter gave the Lemon and Black their biggest lead of the game, ahead 51-38 with 1:01 remaining. A free throw from WVU saw it trail 39-52 heading into the fourth.
- The first 2:41 saw a 6-0 run for the visitors, but another offensive rebound putback from Matheny cut the spurt short. At the 5:48 mark, both Wyrick and Matheny got buckets to drop from the post, putting their team ahead 57-44. The Yellow Jackets started to pour it on, as Smith knocked down an elbow jumper before Brooke Lynn Miller (Nokesville, Va./Brentsville) dropped in a driving layup with 3:21 to go, making the score 61-44. With the lead in hand, Matheny hit Miller on the wing for her first-career triple, before a steal led to a fastbreak deuce from Miller, putting the game out of reach. RMC's late offensive pressure guided it to a 68-47 victory, as well as an ODAC Tournament Semifinal appearance.
Inside the Numbers
- Randolph-Macon led Virginia Wesleyan eight-to-zero in offensive rebounds in the first half.
- The Yellow Jackets out-rebounded the Marlins 39-25 in the entire contest, as they controlled the lead for more than three quarters of the game.
- The assists kept piling up for the home team, as they took the category 16-to-seven.
- The impressive passing translated to a higher shooting percentage, as RMC paced WVU 42.9-to-27.3 from deep.
- Matheny led the way with a season-high 24 points, while also hauling in 16 rebounds. The senior added two assists and a steal while knocking down 11 of her 18 shots.
- Porter notched 10 points on an efficient four-of-eight shooting. The guard added two steals, an assist and a rebound.
- Smith stuffed the stat sheet headlined by tying her season-high with six steals. The reigning ODAC Defensive Player of the Week contributed eight points, four assists and three rebounds.
- Wyrick made all three of her shots, finishing with six points and a rebound.
- Miller completed her seven minutes of play with career-highs in points (seven) field goals made (three) and triples made (one).
For the Record
- Randolph-Macon was the only team in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference to send both of its basketball teams to the ODAC Semifinals.
- After totaling her 21st double-double of her career, Matheny joined Kelly Williams (83), Kaitlin Anderson (36), Catherine Kagey (33), Molly Ariail (33) and Charlotte Woods (23) as the only RMC women's basketball players in program history to surpass 20.
- After accumulating six steals, Smith currently has 58 in her season. This marks a new single-season career-high for the junior.
- Furthermore, after totaling four assists, Smith now has 335 in her career, surpassing Alicia Dejo (334) for the ninth-most in program history.
Up Next
Women's hoops travels to Salem, Virginia, as they look to get another win on Saturday, February 24 at 4:30 p.m. The ODAC Semifinal contest will take place in the Salem Civic Center.
