GREENSBORO, N.C. – Ronnie Thomas’ (Roanoke, Va./Patrick Henry) game-high 18 points paced four Eagles in double-figure scoring and helped Bridgewater College to a 72-61 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) basketball win at Guilford College Saturday.
Thomas knocked down seven-of-nine field goals, including both three-point shots, and also dished out a game-high five assists in the Eagles’ (12-10, 7-7 ODAC) third straight ODAC win. The 6-4 senior point guard also made two steals and helped Bridgewater outscore the Quakers (16-6, 10-3 ODAC), 12-0, in transition.
Thomas’ first three-pointer opened a 13-2 Bridgewater lead, which the Eagles only relinquished when Guilford forced two ties. The Quakers never led as Thomas and the Eagles responded to Guilford’s rallies throughout the game.
Bridgewater built on its 29-24 halftime lead and went up 35-27 on Aaron Adams’ three-pointer with 18:15 left in regulation. A 12-4 Guilford run forced the game’s first tie since the opening minutes, but Bridgewater answered with an 8-1 burst over the next three minutes. Guilford answered and made it a two-point game on two Matt McCarthy free throws, but the Eagles reeled off the next nine points, six by Ed Reddick. Daniel McClain’s layup off a Thomas feed capped the run and opened a 56-45 Bridgewater margin with seven minutes to play. The Quakers drew no closer than seven points the rest of the way.
Behind Thomas and Reddick, Bridgewater shot 57.7 percent from the floor in the second half and 48.2% for the game. Reddick made seven-of-10 shots and finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Tavis Stapleton added 13 points off the bench and Adams finished with 10. McClain chipped in seven points and collected a team-high nine rebounds.
Jake Hopkins (Kernersville, N.C./East Forsyth) paced Guilford with 13 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for his team-leading seventh double-double of the year. McCarthy tallied 12 points on a four-for-14 shooting day, plus five assists. Zeb Richardson (West Jefferson, N.C./Ashe County) added 11 points, five rebounds and two steals off the bench before fouling out.
The Quakers play Monday night at league-rival Emory & Henry College at 7:00 p.m. The contest was originally scheduled for Feb. 12, but postponed due to snow.
Bridgewater vs Guilford
02/15/14 3:00 p.m. at Greensboro, NC – Ragan-Brown Field House
At Greensboro, NC – Ragan-Brown Field House
BRIDGEWATER – 71
GUILFORD – 62
BRIDGEWATER (12-10, 7-7 ODAC): THOMAS, Ronnie 7-9 2-4 18; REDDICK, Ed 7-10 2-4 16; STAPLETON, Tavis 5-14 2-2 13; ADAMS, Aaron 4-7 2-2 10; MCCLAIN, Daniel 3-7 1-2 7; HUNTER, Zach 1-3 3-7 5; LARSON, David 0-0 2-2 2; WAUGH, Kenneth 0-3 0-0 0; POWELL, Romie 0-1 0-0 0; WISE, Benaiah 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 27-56 14-23 71.
GUILFORD (16-6, 10-3 ODAC): HOPKINS, Jake 5-9 2-4 13; McCARTHY, Matt 4-14 2-2 12; RICHARDSON, Zeb 5-10 1-1 11; HYATT, Trever 3-10 0-1 9; KOPPENHAVER, Will 3-4 0-0 6; STOKELY, Robbie 1-1 2-4 4; SPAINHOUR, Josh 1-5 1-1 3; HOUSTON, Zachary 1-1 0-0 2; FURR, Alston 1-10 0-0 2; WOODRUFF, Daniel 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-64 8-13 62.
Bridgewater................... 29 42 - 71 Guilford...................... 24 38 - 62
3-point goals–Bridgewater 3-12 (THOMAS, Ronnie 2-2; STAPLETON, Tavis 1-4; ADAMS, Aaron 0-2; HUNTER, Zach 0-1; WAUGH, Kenneth 0-1; WISE, Benaiah 0-2), Guilford 6-22 (HYATT, Trever 3-7; McCARTHY, Matt 2-8; HOPKINS, Jake 1-1; SPAINHOUR, Josh 0-1; FURR, Alston 0-5).
Fouled out–Bridgewater-None, Guilford-RICHARDSON, Zeb. Rebounds–Bridgewater 38 (MCCLAIN, Daniel 9), Guilford 40 (HOPKINS, Jake 16).
Assists–Bridgewater 14 (THOMAS, Ronnie 5), Guilford 14 (McCARTHY, Matt 5).
Total fouls–Bridgewater 13, Guilford 20.
Technical fouls–Bridgewater-None, Guilford-None.
A-675
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game