GREENSBORO, N.C. --- Roanoke College head coach Susan Dunagan earned her 600th career victory in the Maroons 80-43 victory over York College in the Marriott Classic. The Maroons begin the season with a record of 2-0, while the Cardinals now sit with a mark of 0-2.
Dunagan has been at the helm of the Maroons for the past 33 years, picking up 600 victories over that time. Entering the 2013-14 season, only 45 coaches from NCAA Division I, II and III had surpassed that plateau. She has directed the Maroons to 13 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championships, as well as 11 NCAA postseason appearances. Dunagan has been named ODAC Coach of the Year eight times and was inducted to the Roanoke College Hall of Fame in 2001.
Roanoke ran away with the contest from the beginning of the game, not once giving the lead to York. Paxton Gwin opened up the Maroons' scoring with a three-pointer at the 18:37 mark. Over the first five minutes of the game, Roanoke led 9-6. The Maroons proceeded to go on a 12-4 run, taking a 21-10 advantage. With a pair of Kelsey Smith free throws, two layups from Tatum McKee and another three from Gwin, Roanoke extended its lead to 30-14 with 6:33 left in the half. By the end of the first half, the Maroons lead stood at 45-24.
Gwin scored Roanoke's first nine points of the second half, as the Maroons created more distance from York. After the first five minutes of the second period, Roanoke led 58-30. The Maroons largest lead of the game came at the 6:38 mark of the second half, as Kelsey Smith hit a free throw to put Roanoke up 71-34. That 37-point advantage held through the remainder of the contest as the Maroons were victorious, 80-43, on Sunday.
Paxton Gwin led the Maroons in scoring, putting up 23 points against the Cardinals. She shot 8-of-13 from the field, including knocking down 4-of-6 from behind the arc. She also added four rebounds to her effort. She was followed in scoring by Tatum McKee, who scored 11 points to go along with five rebounds. Kanisha Wiley had eight rebounds, followed by Meghan Gadell and Cary Beahm, who each finished the game with seven boards. Laurel Hankins dished out four assists to lead the squad.
Roanoke outshot the Cardinals 34.6 percent to 26.5 percent from the field. The Maroons hit seven three-pointers on the evening, holding York to 0-of-5 from behind the arc. Roanoke also outrebounded York (60-53), as well as having more assists, 18-8.
The Maroons return to action in their home opener on Tuesday, November 19th as they play host to Ferrum College. That contest is scheduled for a 7:00 PM start.
--- This release is courtesy of the Roanoke College sports information department. ---
maroons.roanoke.edu