SALEM, Va. --- Virginia Wesleyan College has earned the opportunity to defend its Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship.

The Marlins advanced to the 2013 title game with a 78-68 victory over the WildCats of Randolph College in Saturday's semifinal game at the Civic Center.  Virgina Wesleyan will play in the championship game for the seventh time in the past 10 years and will attempt to claim its fifth ODAC title since 2005.

Senior Tre' Ford (Falls Church/J.E.B. Stuart) hit a jumper to give No. 21 Virginia Wesleyan (21-6) a 25-23 lead with 9:26 remaining in the first half and the Marlins led the rest of the way.  Senior Chris Teasley (Newport News//Menchville) and Ford both hit triples to help VWC open up an eight point lead in the ensuing minutes, before Randolph (21-6) cut the spread to four behind the scoring of Mike Ehilegbu (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft), Chris Battaglia (Smithfield/Portsmouth Christian) and ODAC Player of the Year Colton Hunt (Whittier, N.C./Smoky Mountain).

Virginia Wesleyan pushed back out to a 40-27 halftime lead and held off a WildCat charge at the beginning of the second half.  The 'Cats moved within seven points of the Marlins, but could not get closer the remainder of the game.  VWC led by as many as 15 points in the second half.

One night after scoring a career high 28 points in a quarterfinal victory over Eastern Mennonite University, Teasley emerged as the leading scorer once again for the Marlins with a game-high 24 points. He hit 8-of-14 field goals against Randolph and has nailed 20-of-32 attempts in the past two games, including 5-of-9 triples.

The Marlins, who took Saturday's win without the talents of junior DJ Woodmore (Virginia Beach/Landstown), who sat out nursing a sprained ankle, finished with four players in double-figure scoring.  Senior Chris Astorga (Suffolk/Virginia Beach Cape Henry Collegiate)tallied 16 points, Ford finished with 15 and junior Trent Batson (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) scored 11, hitting 5-of-6 shots inside.

Virginia Wesleyan fared well from long distance, firing 24 triples and hitting 11.  Ford and Teasley nailed three each.  Randolph put up 21 trey attempts and connected only four times, with Ehilegbu hitting two.

Hunt led Randolph with 22 points, hitting 9-of-23 field goal attempts.  Battaglia scored 18 points, connecting on 8-of-9 field goal attempts, and Ehilegbu finished with 17 points, hitting 5-of-10 field goal attempts.

Randolph out-rebounded VWC 35-29, led by Hunt with 11.  Senior Art Crew (Williamsburg/Layafette) and Teasley pulled down five rebounds each for Virginia Wesleyan.  Both teams handled the ball well throughout the game as VWC turned it over only five times, while Randolph recorded only nine turnovers.

--- This release is courtesy of the Virginia Wesleyan College sports information department. ---
www.vwcathletics.com