Northern Neck Times

Randolph-MacOn College Athletics issued the following announcement on Feb. 4

Fans got their money's worth as Randolph-Macon outlasted Roanoke in overtime in ODAC women's basketball action on Friday evening. The Yellow Jackets overcame a nine-point deficit to start the final quarter and eventually surged ahead in extra time.

Both teams were picked to finish at the top of the ODAC with the Maroons picked to win the ODAC and the Yellow Jackets picked second in the preseason poll. As advertised, both teams entered the day with just one conference loss to their record.

The Basics

Score: Randolph-Macon 70, Roanoke 63 (OT)

Venue: Crenshaw Gymnasium

Records: Randolph-Macon 12-5, 10-1 ODAC; Roanoke, 15-4, 10-2 ODAC

How It Happened

• The first half was largely defensive with neither team able to garner much of a lead. The largest difference was just four points following a pair of Cheridan Hatfield (Sr., Fishersville, Va. / Wilson Memorial) free throws midway through the first, but Roanoke answered on its next possession to cut the deficit back to a single possession. At the half R-MC trailed 22-21.
• After tying the game at 33-all on a Marisa Ziegler (Fr., Forest Hill, Md. / John Carroll) 3-pointer in the third quarter, Roanoke started to pull away and closed the frame on a 9-0 run. That difference carried into the fourth until a sequence of 3-pointers where Becca Anthony (Sr., Amelia, Va. / Amelia) cut the deficit to six before the Maroons' Renee Alquiza answered with one of her own to put the visitors back up nine. After a timeout, Devan Conrad (Jr., Parkville, Md. / St. Paul's) fired in a triple to make the score 47-41 to spark the comeback.
• A layup by Hatfield, old-fashioned three-point play by Catherine Kagey (So., Roanoke, Va. / Faith Christian), and jumper by Conrad over the next 1:57 eventually tied the game at 48. Down the stretch the teams found themselves locked at 55-55 with opportunities to go ahead, but neither could convert as the game went to overtime.
• Roanoke started the overtime period with the first basket, but Anthony immediately followed with a 3-pointer to give the Lemon and Black the lead, one they would hold the rest of the way. From there Kagey took over and scored the next three baskets for the Jackets to put the hosts up 64-60. Anthony and Hatfield closed out the game tallying the final six points from the foul line.

Inside The Numbers

• Hatfield had another excellent game and finished the night with 17 points to lead all scorers. She finished 6-of-10 from the field with three assists.
• Over the last 12:15 of the game, the Jackets outscored the Maroons 32-16. Anthony was a key figure as 13 of her 15 points came during the final 12:36.
• Kagey recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. All were on the defensive end, but she also showed her defensive skills elsewhere as she wiped three possessions from Roanoke.
• Conrad joined the aforementioned trio in double figures with 11 points.
• Defensive play kept Roanoke from getting any rhythm early on and a big reason for that was Aimee DeBell (Sr., Studley, Va. / St. Gertrude). She made her presence known as she recorded three of the Yellow Jackets' six blocks in the first quarter and added one more later in the game.
• During the fourth quarter and overtime, Randolph-Macon shot 64.7% (11-of-17) from the field. From 3-point range, the Jackets shot 80% (4-of-5).
• Free throws were pivotal in the game for both sides. Randolph-Macon was perfect on all 15 attempts from the charity stripe, while the Maroons were 5-of-12 on the opposite end.

For the Maroons

• Alquiza finished with 14 points to lead Roanoke. She was 5-of-7 overall and lethal behind the 3-point line where she was 4-for-5.
• Rose Sande finished with 12 points and was 6-of-11 overall.

Original source can be found here.