LYNCHBURG, Va. – Carson Long (Pilot Mountain, N.C./East Surry) and Justen Best (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill (Tennessee Temple)) both scored 12 points in Guilford College’s 64-46 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) road win at Randolph College Wednesday night.
The Quakers (7-5, 2-1 ODAC) made seven of their season-high 11 three-pointers in the second half to clinch their third in win in four outings. Guilford held the hosts to under 32 percent field-goal shooting from the floor and enjoyed a 44-32 edge in rebounds.
Trailing 22-21 five minutes before halftime, the Quakers closed the first half on a 10-3 run and scored the final eight points in that time from the free-throw line. Randolph (7-6, 1-2 ODAC) missed all four field goals and turned the ball over four times in the final 5:02 of the half, which helped Guilford hold a 31-24 halftime lead.
The defensive struggle continued into the second half, but the Quakers strength under the boards and seven-for-13 three-point shooting (53.3%) gave Guilford the edge. A Seth Wimbish three-point drew Randolph to within 37-32 5:49 into the second half, but the Quakers answered with a 12-3 run over the next five minutes. Three-pointers by Best and Jarrod Rogers (Archdale, N.C./Trinity) capped the outburst, which opened a 49-35 lead midway through the frame. The WildCats drew no closer than 12 points the rest of the way as Guilford dropped in five three-pointers in the game’s final 10 minutes.
Rogers finished with nine points and Will Freeman added eight off the bench for Guilford. Point guard Zachary Houston scored seven points and corralled a game- and career-high 16 rebounds. He also dished out four assists and had one of the Quakers’ eight steals.
Corey Brown led Randolph with 11 points. Zach Desgain added nine and a team-best six rebounds.
Coach Tom Palombo’s Quakers host Eastern Mennonite University Saturday (1/9) in a 2:00 p.m. ODAC contest.