For Immediate Release February 21, 2000
MAROONS ARE ODAC CHAMPIONS!!!
RC Defeats Top Ranked Hampden-Sydney To Claim 10th ODAC Title
Roanoke vs. Hampden-Sydney Box Score
SALEM, VA--Nobody really gave them a chance, but the Roanoke College Maroons proved all the doubters wrong, winning the 2000 Old Dominion Athletic Conference men's basketball championship with a 69-63 win in Salem on Monday night. The Maroons are now going to the NCAA tournament, receiving the league's automatic qualifier. The Maroons head into the national postseason with a 23-4 mark. Brad Dunleavy was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player after leading all scorers with 21 points in the game. Jason Strickland, who joined Dunleavy on the All-Tournament team, scored 15 points and had five rebounds and four steals. Colby Leftwich, who had 13 rebounds in the title game, also was named to the All-Tournament squad.
Roanoke took a 15-point lead (36-21) into the half, marking the largest margin the Tigers, ranked number-one in the country, had been down all season. HSC shot just 21.9 percent in the first half and committed nine turnovers. RC made 41.9 percent of its shots in the half.
Hampden-Sydney made a strong comeback attempt in the second, cutting the lead to as few as three points. That, however, came as time was winding down and the Maroons converted their free throws to ice the game.
The win ended a five-game losing streak for the Maroons against the Tigers and avenged two 'big' loses during this regular season.
The Maroons will now wait to hear who their first round NCAA opponent will be. The selections will take place this coming Sunday.