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Marlins begin tourney play with 93-63 victory
VIRGINIA BEACHﾃモ -- Donald Vaughn led four Virginia Wesleyan Collegeﾃモ men's basketball teamﾃモ in double-figure scoring Friday as the Marlins rolled to a 93-63 victory over Delaware Valley College in an NCAA Division III first round tournament game.
The Marlins return to the Jane P. Batten Student Center on Saturday, Mar. 5, for a 7 p.m. meeting with Franklin and 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 Jane P. Batten Center to take control of the game in the second half.ﾃモ VWC (24-4) led 41-27 at halftime and only 50-42 five minutes into the second half after DVC's Chris Ellis (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville) hit a jumper.
But, "Mr. Clutch" Ed Roberts (Chesapeake, Va./Deep Creek), who has come off the bench repeatedly during the season to spark Virginia Wesleyan with big time triples, did it again for the Marlins.ﾃモ He answered Ellis' bucket with a triple off an assist from rookie DJ Woodmore (Virginia Beach/Landstown) and the Marlins were sailing.ﾃモ It started an 18-2 VWC scoring blitz that virtually put the game on ice.
Junior Rakeed Davis (Chesapeake, Va./Deep Creek) contributed six points in the run, Chris Teasley (Newport News, Va./Menchville) added five more and Woodmore nailed another timely triple that helped keep the Marlins in command.ﾃモ Scoring by Jeremy Beckett (Reading, Pa./Holy Name) put the Aggies back on the scoreboard, but Roberts and sophomore Tre' Ford (Falls Church, Va./J.E.B.Stuart) came back with triples 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.ﾃモ The Marlins also fared well from the foul lines, hitting 22-of-29 attempts, led by Chris Astorga (Suffolk, Va./Virginia Beach Cape Henry), Teasley, Woodmore and Davis with four each.
Vaughn (Woodbridge, Va./Dumfries Potomac), who ruled inside for the Marlins, finished with 31 points, five rebounds and three blocks.ﾃモ His block total increases his season total 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.ﾃモ Ford led the Marlins with five assists.
Beckett led Delaware Valley with 25 points and 11 rebounds. James Jones (Philadelphia/Edward Bok Tech)ﾃモ came through for 20 points, hitting 8-of-8 from the charity stripes, 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.
--AMDG--
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