The Basics
Score:  Roanoke 70 | Eastern Mennonite 72  
Records: Maroons 15-5 / 7-4 ODAC | Royals 7-10 / 5-5 ODAC
Location: Harrisonburg, Va.

The Lead: Roanoke took a six-game Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) win streak to Harrisonburg for a game with Eastern Mennonite on Wednesday night. The Maroons took an early six-point lead, but that was the largest lead for with team during a first 20-minutes that would see Roanoke up at the break, 37-35. The Royals broke open a tie game to take a seven-point lead before Roanoke rallied to cut it to one with just seconds to play. Trailing 72-70, the Maroons went to the line in the final second but missed the first and had to try to rebound a missed second free throw, however EMU secured the carom and the win.

How it Happened:

• Kasey Draper hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the early stages as Roanoke took a 10-4 lead. Draper and Tripp Greene would score as the Maroons maintained that margin for the first 6:30 of the night.
• EMU scored six straight to tie before a Justin Kuthan layup and free throw put RC back on top. Roanoke held the lead until a bucket at the 4:39 mark gave the Royals their first edge of the game.
• Roanoke would tie the score at 35-35 before Draper scored at the hoop in the closing seconds and the Maroons lead was 37-35 at the half.
• Less than four-minutes into the second half, a three-pointer by the home team would put EMU in front, but Efosa U-Edosomwan answered from long range and the lead would be traded once again.
• After going back and forth, Eastern Mennonite broke open a tie game with a 7-2 run to take a 65-60 lead with under five-minutes left to play. The advantage grew to seven with 2:37 left to play, U-Edosomwan cut the deficit to four, 69-65, leading to a timeout with 1:16 left on the clock.
• Greene hit a 3-ball to make it a one possession game with less than a minute left to play. After a missed Royal shot, U-Edosomwan secured the rebound and hit a jump shot to cut the lead to a single point. Roanoke put the Royals on the line and they made one of two, setting up the final 10 seconds.
• Roanoke set up a final play and Eastern Mennonite fouled with one second left on the clock. However, the Maroons missed the first of two free throws leading to a timeout. The free throw had to be missed but Eastern Mennonite secured the rebound and upset the Maroons, 72-70.
• U-Edosomwan led Roanoke with 26 points and seven rebounds while Draper added 25. Trent Dawson handed out three assists.

Up next: Roanoke travels to Ashland to face #1 Randolph-Macon on Saturday at 2:00pm.