Maroons Close Regular Season With 80-74 Win Over VA Wesleyan on Senior Day

2022-23 Roanoke seniors
2022-23 Roanoke seniors

Score: Roanoke 80, Virginia Wesleyan, 74
Records: Maroons 19-6, 12-4 ODAC; Marlins 16-8, 8-8 ODAC
Location: Salem, Va.

The Short Story: The Roanoke men's basketball team honored their five seniors how any team would with a win, as the Maroons came from behind with an 80-74 win over Virginia Wesleyan Marlins. Kasey Draper recorded his third double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds in the victory. Prior to the game, the Maroons honored Efosa U-Edosomwan, Draper, Ethan Rohan, Brandon Ellington, and Colin Burns for their years of dedication to the program.

HOW IT HAPPENED/HIGHLIGHTS

  • The first four minutes of the game saw the Marlins take a 13-2 lead over Roanoke. VWU would maintain that lead until the Maroons began to chip away starting at 12:39 and a Joshua McClary jumper that started a stretch that pulled Roanoke back within six by 10:36.
  • With just 3:18 before halftime, U-Edosomwan made a layup that closed the gap to just two points before a small run by the Marlins put their lead back to 11. A Tripp Greene three with five seconds left cut the lead to seven, 42-35, as the teams headed into the locker room.
  • The second half started off slowly for the Maroons as they began to chip away at the VWU lead. A pair of Marlin free throws had the guest lead at eight at 15:27, 51-43. By 13:50, the Maroons had taken a 7-0 run to pull back within one on a Draper three-pointer. At 11:37, Greene leveled the game at 55-55 on a three-pointer.
  • It was nearly two minutes before either team scored again with the Maroons taking their first lead at 57-55 with a U-Edosomwan layup. The Marlins would retake the lead just one time at 63-61 with 8:12 left before a McClary three at 7:49 gave the Maroons the lead for good. Roanoke kept the visitors off the scoreboard for nearly four minutes as the Maroons built as high up as an eight-point lead before settling in for the 80-74.
  • U-Edosomwan had a game-high 22 points in the win to lead four Maroons in double figures; Draper (19), McClary (15), and Justin Kuthan (14).
  • The Maroons' bench more than doubled-up VWU's 39-16.  

UP NEXT

  • With the No. 4 seed secured, Roanoke heads into the ODAC Tournament. The Maroons will face off against No. 5 seed Washington and Lee in the quarterfinals at the Salem Civic Center on Friday, February 24. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.