For Immediate Release December 5, 1999
Maroons 'Steal' Win From RMC, 76-64
Roanoke Has 18 Steals in Victory, Barrett Records Another Double-Double
Roanoke vs. Randolph-Macon Box Score
SALEM, VA--The Roanoke College women’s basketball team used an outstanding defensive performance to defeat the Randolph-Macon College Yellow Jackets, 76-64, in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference women’s basketball game on Sunday afternoon. The Maroons improve to 5-1 on the season, 3-0 in league play, while RMC drops to 2-4, 1-1 against league opponents. The win ends a four-game regular season losing streak for the Maroons against RMC. Before today’s win, the last time the Maroons defeated the Yellow Jackets during the regular-season was during the 1996-97 season. The big difference in the contest was the 30 turnovers the Roanoke defense forced, and the 18 steals it recorded. Senior guard Carrie McConnell (Radford, VA/Pulaski County) had a career-high six steals (four shy of the school record) in the contest. Eleven of the RC’s steals on the afternoon came in the first half, helping RC take a 39-25 lead into the lockerrooms.
Leading by 14 points at the break, the Maroons pushed the lead to as much as 23 points in the second half, but the Yellow Jackets made a comeback attempt mid-way through the half. After the Maroons pushed the lead to 23, with 15:49 left in the game, Randolph-Macon went on an 18-2 run, cutting the RC lead to just five points. The Yellow Jackets were unable to get any closer than five points, as the Roanoke defense took over the game again, helping extend the lead back to 17 points late in the game.
The Maroons pulled into the double-digit lead with just three minutes to go in the first half. Up by just two (20-18) with 7:44 left in the opening half of play, the Maroons went on a 18-7 run, sparked by Jill Quesenberry (Willis, VA/Floyd County) who scored six of her nine points during the run which gave RC a 15-point advantage with 2:04 remaining in the first.
Crystal Barrett (Roanoke, VA/Northside) recorded her fifth double-double of the season, as she scored a team-high 17 points and had 15 rebounds as well. Barrett also had four steals on the afternoon. Gina Guthrie (New Castle, VA/Craig County) and Cheryl Rhodes (Roanoke, VA/Cave Spring) chipped in 10 points apiece to the RC scoring charge. McConnell added nine assists for the Maroons, who were also 21-for-24 from the free throw line.
Renee Zando led all scores in the game, putting in 25 for the Yellow Jackets. She also had 15 rebounds in the contest, 11 coming off the offensive glass. Bren Elliot was almost as strong on the boards for RMC, grabbing 14 missed shots.
Roanoke goes back to the court on Tuesday night in Harrisonburg, VA as they play Eastern Mennonite University in another ODAC contest. The game in Harrisonburg is scheduled to start at 7:00 pm.