Marlins Overpower Aggies in NCAA Win

Marlins Overpower Aggies in NCAA Win

VWC Faces Franklin & Marshall on Saturday

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.  --- Donald Vaughn led four Marlins in double-figures on Friday evening as Virginia Wesleyan rolled to a 93-63 victory over Delaware Valley College in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament.

The Marlins return to the Jane P. Batten Student Center on Saturday, March 5, for a 7:00 p.m. meeting with Franklin & Marshall College, which won Friday's early game, 69-56, over North Carolina Wesleyan College.

Playing on their home court in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007, the Marlins rode momentum provided in part by a vocal, overflow crowd in the Batten Center to take control of the game in the second half.  VWC (24-4) led 41-27 at halftime, but enjoyed only a 50-42 five minutes into the second half after DVC's Chris Ellis hit a jumper.

But Ed Roberts, who has come off the bench repeatedly during the season to spark Virginia Wesleyan with big time triples, did it again for the Marlins.  He answered Ellis' bucket with a three-pointer off an assist from rookie DJ Woodmore and the Marlins were sailing.  It started an 18-2 VWC scoring blitz that virtually put the game on ice.

Junior Rakeem Davis contributed six points in the run, while Chris Teasley added five more and Woodmore nailed another timely trey that helped keep the Marlins in command.  Scoring by Jeremy Beckett put the Aggies back on the scoreboard, but Roberts and sophomore Tre' Ford came back with threes for the Marlins, who maintained a 20+ point lead through the final 6:38.

Virginia Wesleyan enjoyed a standout night from three-point range, hitting 11-of-24 attempts, led by Woodmore and Roberts with three each.  The Marlins also fared well from the foul lines, hitting 22-of-29 from the stripe, led by Chris Astorga, Teasley, Woodmore and Davis with four each.

Vaughn ruled inside for the Marlins, finishing with 31 points, five rebounds and three blocks.  His block total increases his season mark to 56 and moves him into a tie with Norman Billups (1977-81) as VWC's all-time leader in swats.

Woodmore finished with 15 points, Davis added 12 points and Astorga tallied 10.  Ford led the Marlins with five assists.

Beckett led Delaware Valley with 25 points and 11 rebounds. James Jones came through for 20 points, hitting 8-of-8 from the charity stripe, and Ellis finished with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.  

VWC won the battle on the boards 49-40, led by Astorga with 11 and Davis with 10.

This release is courtesy of the Virgini Wesleyan College sports information department.