Randolph College WildCat Men’s Basketball Stuns Guilford College Saturday 67-58

LYNCHBURG, VA – The Randolph College men’s basketball team used a 10-0 run midway through the second half to take the lead and held Guilford College without a field goal for over six and a half minutes down the stretch as the WildCats knocked off the Quakers 67-58 Saturday in play from the Randolph Athletics and Dance (RAD) Center.

The win was Randolph’s fourth in its last five and also pulled the WildCats to within two games of the fifth spot in the ODAC standings. The key to Randolph’s win was its defense over the last 10 minutes, as it held GC (16-7/10-4 ODAC) to 2-14 shooting over that span. During that stretch, the WildCats outscored Guilford 16-8.

The WildCats and Quakers exchanged leads three times over the first period, also deadlocking the score three times. Guilford led by five early on, but a 7-0 run put Randolph up for the first time all game at 12-10. After GC regained the lead at 14-12, the WildCats went on another run, this time posting a 9-0 run to lead by seven.

After Randolph took a 36-32 lead into halftime, the visitors came out of the break inspired. Guilford scored the first eight points of the second half, capped by a three from Josh Pittman. Randolph roared back, putting together a 12-2 stretch to regain the advantage at 48-42. The lead would change hands two more times until the game became tied at 51.

That’s when the WildCat defense would stiffen, and the WildCats hit five of its last 10 shots and made all six free throws when it mattered to ice the game. Sophomore guard Mike Ehilegbu (Raleigh, NC/Ravenscroft) tied his career-high with game-leading 22 points. He finished six-of-10 from the field, including five-of-seven from behind the arc.

Junior Colton Hunt (Whittier, NC/Smoky Mountain) had a solid contest, scoring 15 points, dishing out six assists, while grabbing five steals and four boards. Senior Derrick Woods-Morrow (Greensboro, NC/NE Guilford) posted 10 points and six boards on Senior Day, and junior Dylan Shiflett (Virginia Beach, VA/Cape Henry) had 10 points and six boards, making four-of-five from the field.

The WildCats finished 23-of-53 (43.4 percent) from the floor, making seven of 20 from behind the arc. Randolph was efficient at the line as well, knocking down all but one of the 16 foul shots it took. Senior Malcolm Nelson (Richmond, VA/Trinity Episcopal), who is out for the year with a knee injury, took the floor with the starters and after the tip exited to a standing ovation from the near capacity crowd.

Guilford was paced by the 20 points and eight rebounds from Pittman. Gabriel Lowder had 10 points while Will Freeman registered nine points on three-of-five shooting from the field. GC made just seven of its 27 shots from deep, ending with a total field goal percentage of 40.4 for the night.

Randolph will return to action on Wednesday evening for a road conference game with Roanoke College in the C. Homer Bast Center at 7 p.m.