College Women’s Basketball Final – Guilford 73, Virgnia Wesleyan 57

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Lauren Ramsey (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson) scored a game-high 20 points and Heaven Walters (Elkin, N.C./Starmount) added 13 in Guilford College’s 73-57 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) basketball victory over visiting Virginia Wesleyan College Saturday afternoon.

The Quakers’ (19-3, 12-2 ODAC) ninth win in 10 games moved them into a share of first place in the league standings after frontrunner Lynchburg College’s 77-75 overtime loss at Randolph-Macon College Saturday.

Ramsey, a 5-9 junior guard, made 10-of-14 shots from the floor to match her season scoring high and also dished out a game- and career-high eight assists. She scored often from close range and her passing set up teammates in good position as Guilford had 21 assists on 32 made baskets. Quick passing and excellent ball movement helped the Quakers double their eight-point halftime lead after three quarters. Guilford found great scoring success near the basket, as seen its 54-24 interior scoring edge.

As has often been the case this season, Guilford’s defense and rebounding contributed significantly to the win. The ODAC leader in scoring defense and defensive field-goal percentage, Guilford limited the visiting Marlins to 37 percent shooting from the floor and held a 44-31 rebounding edge. Virginia Wesleyan’s Jayla Harris entered the game ranked second among ODAC scoring leaders, but finished with 14 points on five-of-16 shooting, including three-for-10 from long range. ODAC steals leader Anais Weatherly made three of Guilford’s seven thefts that contributed to Virginia Wesleyan’s 14 turnovers.

Weatherly and Walters were among five students honored prior to the contest on the occasion of their final regular-season home appearance. Weatherly added eight points, six rebounds and a game-high six assists to her three steals, and moved into 10th place among Guilford’s career assists leaders. She is the lone Quaker ranked among the school’s top-10 career leaders in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Jordyn Brown, also playing her final regular-season home game, added nine points and five boards off the bench. Seniors Kate Clark (7 points, 4 rebounds) and Amy Steller (4 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists) also contributed to the balanced Senior Day win.

Virginia Wesleyan’s Amanda Cerni shot five-of-six from three-point range to finish with a team-best 15 points. She also collected a game-high seven rebounds. NiAsia Caldwell provided meaningful minutes off the bench with 12 points and two blocks. Teammate Naeemah Morris added nine points and six rebounds.

Coach Stephanie Flamini’s Quakers, ranked fifth in this week’s NCAA Division III South Region Rankings, put their four-game winning streak on the line Tuesday (2/14) at Randolph College in a 7:00 p.m. league contest.

Virginia Wesleyan vs Guilford
02/11/17 2:00 pm at Greensboro, NC – Ragan-Brown Field House
At Greensboro, NC – Ragan-Brown Field House

GUILFORD 73
VIRGINIA WESLEYAN 57

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN (12-11, 7-7 ODAC): GERNI, Amanda 5-8 0-0 15; HARRIS, Jayla 5-16 1-2 14; CALDWELL, NiAsia 6-12 0-0 12; MORRIS, Naeemah 4-4 1-2 9; PLATT, Alexis 1-4 0-0 2; STROTHER, Crystal 1-9 0-1 2; WASHINGTON, Jaelyn 1-1 0-0 2; BERKLEY, Raya 0-5 1-2 1; JOHNSON, Tiera 0-1 0-0 0; SHERMAN, Megan 0-0 0-0 0; HOLMES, Reagan 0-1 0-0 0; DOLLINS, Alizae 0-1 0-0 0; BILLINGS, Ceci 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-62 3-7 57.

GUILFORD (19-3, 12-2): RAMSEY, Lauren 10-14 0-0 20; WALTERS, Heaven 4-8 5-5 13; BROWN, Jordyn 4-9 1-2 9; WEATHERLY, Anais 4-7 0-0 8; CLARK, Kate 2-5 2-2 7; SCOTT, Kayla 3-6 0-1 6; STELLER, Amy 2-8 0-0 4; RICHARDSON, Jordyn 2-4 0-0 4; WALTERS, Miracle 1-2 0-0 2; ABRAHAM, Essence 0-3 0-0 0; JACKSON, Alli 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 32-67 8-10 73.

Virginia Wesleyan.............   12   11   15   19  -   57
Guilford......................   16   15   23   19  -   73

3-point goals–Virginia Wesleyan 8-23 (GERNI, Amanda 5-6; HARRIS, Jayla 3-10; STROTHER, Crystal 0-5; HOLMES, Reagan 0-1; CALDWELL, NiAsia 0-1), Guilford 1-8 (CLARK, Kate 1-3; SCOTT, Kayla 0-1; STELLER, Amy 0-2; ABRAHAM, Essence 0-1; RAMSEY, Lauren 0-1).
Fouled out–Virginia Wesleyan-None, Guilford-None.
Rebounds–Virginia Wesleyan 31 (GERNI, Amanda 7), Guilford 44 (WEATHERLY, Anais 6; SCOTT, Kayla 6).
Assists–Virginia Wesleyan 8 (BERKLEY, Raya 2), Guilford 21 (RAMSEY, Lauren 8).
Total fouls–Virginia Wesleyan 11, Guilford 13.
Technical fouls–Virginia Wesleyan-None, Guilford-None.
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game

Guilford is ranked 5th in this week’s NCAA Division III South Region Poll