GREENSBORO, N.C. – Lauren Ramsey (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson) scored a game-high 17 points and Miracle Walters added 13 in Guilford College’s 62-49 basketball win over Virginia Wesleyan University Saturday. The Senior Day victory clinched the fourth seed in the upcoming Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament and gave Guilford (17-6, 11-5 ODAC) a sweep of the season series with the Marlins (12-13, 9-7 ODAC).
Guilford learned after the game it begins defense of its 2017 ODAC Tournament title Thursday (2/22) in a quarterfinal contest at the Salem (Virginia) Civic Center. The Quakers will play the winner of Monday’s opening-round game between fifth-seeded Virginia Wesleyan and number-12 Hollins University at 3:00 p.m.
Ramsey, Guilford’s lone senior, was honored prior to the game as part of the team’s Senior Day festivities. She had just one field goal and five first-half points, but erupted for eight third-quarter points. Guilford outscored the Marlins’, 18-10, in the period, and led by as many as 15 before settling for a 41-30 edge entering the final quarter.
Virginia Wesleyan scored the final four third-quarter points and carried the momentum into the fourth period. NiAsia Caldwell’s three-pointer with 3:47 left in regulation tied the score at 46-46 and capped a 20-5 Marlins’ outburst.
Guilford answered at the other end as Julie Carini scored off an offensive rebound, followed by a traditional three-point play by T.J. Jacobs (Winston-Salem, N.C./Carver) set up by Ramsey’s long outlet pass. Virginia Wesleyan could not respond as Guilford made all 10 free throws in the final two minutes and limited the Marlins to one-for-eight field-goal shooting in that time.
Ramsey made 11-of-12 free throws to lead Guilford’s scorers for the 13th time this season. She also had six rebounds and three assists. Walters added a game-high seven rebounds to her 13 points. Essence Abraham (Greensboro, N.C./Dudley) finished with 11 points and six rebounds. Carini tallied eight points, six boards, and two blocks.
Caldwell and Jayla Harris shared team-high scoring honors with 15 points apiece. Raya Berkley added 14 points, 12 in the second half. Virginia Wesleyan managed just 29.3 percent field-goal shooting, but collected 13 offensive rebounds that led to 15 points.
Va. Wesleyan vs Guilford
02/17/18 4:30 p.m. at Greensboro, NC – Ragan-Brown Field House
At Greensboro, NC – Ragan-Brown Field House
GUILFORD 62
VA. WESLEYAN 49
VA. WESLEYAN (12-13, 9-7 ODAC): Harris,Jayla 6-18 1-2 15; Caldwell,NiAsia 5-17 1-2 15; Berkley,Raya 4-8 6-7 14; Phillips,Kellen 1-1 0-0 2; Morris,Naeemah 1-6 0-2 2; Holmes,Reagan 0-4 1-2 1; Coleman,Sierra 0-2 0-0 0; Lewis,Jada 0-1 0-0 0; Billings,Ceci 0-1 0-0 0; Washington,Jaelyn 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 17-58 9-15 49.
GUILFORD (17-6, 11-5 ODAC): RAMSEY, Lauren 3-8 11-12 17; WALTERS, Miracle 4-7 5-6 13; ABRAHAM, Essence 3-10 4-4 11; CARINI, Julie 2-6 4-4 8; JACOBS, TJ 1-1 3-5 5; ALLEN, Brianna 1-4 1-4 3; McBRIDE, Jasmine 1-4 1-2 3; DUNLAP, Monell 0-1 2-2 2; JACKSON, Alli 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 15-42 31-39 62.
Va. Wesleyan.................. 9 11 10 19 - 49 Guilford...................... 14 9 18 21 - 62
3-point goals–Va. Wesleyan 6-20 (Caldwell,NiAsia 4-10; Harris,Jayla 2-6; Holmes,Reagan 0-3; Billings,Ceci 0-1), Guilford 1-4 (ABRAHAM, Essence 1-2; ALLEN, Brianna 0-1; JACKSON, Alli 0-1).
Fouled out–Va. Wesleyan-Holmes,Reagan, Guilford-None.
Rebounds–Va. Wesleyan 34 (Billings,Ceci 5; Harris,Jayla 5; Berkley,Raya 5), Guilford 39 (WALTERS, Miracle 7).
Assists–Va. Wesleyan 8 (Caldwell,NiAsia 2; Harris,Jayla 2; Holmes,Reagan 2), Guilford 6 (RAMSEY, Lauren 3).
Total fouls–Va. Wesleyan 28, Guilford 14.
Technical fouls–Va. Wesleyan-None, Guilford-None.
A-250
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game