LYNCHBURG, VA – Randolph College head women’s basketball coach Allison Nichols picked up her first Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) win Saturday, as she directed the WildCats past Emory & Henry College 61-59 in a thriller from the Randolph Athletics and Dance (RAD) Center.
The contest saw 10 ties and eight lead changes in a contest that went down to the wire. With 2:09 remaining in the contest and EHC (2-17/1-16 ODAC) leading by one, first-year Chelsea Tyler (Richmond, VA/Henrico) found Jensen Hoover (Woodstock, VA/Central) for a lay-up to put Randolph up one at 54-53. Emory & Henry tied the game at 55 on a lay-up by Carlyta Hamm with 1:30 left.
Two free throws from senior Lauren French (Blairs, VA/Chatham) gave Randolph another two point edge, but this time Kristie Langley responded with two of her game-high 22 points to deadlock the game at 57. With less than 30 seconds to go, first-year guard Bri Lowry (Herndon, VA/Herndon) hit a tough runner in the lane to put the WildCats up 59-57.
After EHC made one of two and Tyler matched the effort for Randolph, the Wasps came out of the timeout and picked up a foul call with two seconds to play. Faith Walker made the first free throw to pull to within one at 60-59 but missed the second end. Tyler was fouled after grabbing the rebound, and made one of two again to put the WildCats up two. A last second heave was after the buzzer, lifting Randolph to its first conference win in 43 tries.
Tyler finished with a team-best 14 points, grabbing five steals as well. First-year Bonnie Bishop (Fairfax, VA/Trinity Christian) had 10 points and a tied for the team lead with seven rebounds, while Hoover posted eight points, seven boards and two steals.
French also registered seven points and five rebounds for the ‘Cats, who shot 33.9 percent (19-56) from the field. Junior Sam Sublett (Bedford, VA/Staunton River) got her first start of the year, and had four points, six rebounds and two blocks in the win.
Randolph led for the last 11:09 of the first half, building its lead up to as much as eight with 6:55 left in the stanza on a lay-up from Lowry. The eight point lead was the largest advantage either team enjoyed all night.
Langley led all scorers with 22 points, notching a double-double with 10 rebounds as well for the Wasps. Hamm also booked a double-double, scoring 14 points and corralling 13 boards. Walker had eight points in a reserve role for EHC, and Ashlyn Baird had five points and seven rebounds.
EHC shot 37.1 percent from the field, but missed all 16 three-pointers it took. The Wasps also struggled from the line, make just 13-of-25, while Randolph made 20-of-27 (74.1 percent).
Randolph will wrap up its season next week with a pair of games, first hosting Eastern Mennonite University Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. for Senior Night. Lauren French will be honored before the contest.