SALEM, Va. – The Roanoke College Women's Basketball Team (9-10, 5-6 ODAC) picked up a 87-65 victory over visiting Emory & Henry College (4-16, 2-9 ODAC) Wednesday evening at the C. Homer Bast Center. With the victory, the Maroons sweep the season series from the Wasps.

Roanoke got out to a 4-0 lead in the first 35 seconds of the game but Emory & Henry came back with a pair of three-pointers to take a 6-4 lead at the 16:58 mark. The Maroons then opened up the game with a 15-4 run covering 5:35 for a 19-10 advantage. RC pushed the margin to as much as 20 but E&H trimmed the deficit to 16 (45-29) at the break.

The Wasps got within 13 points with a three-pointer to start the second half but would get no closer the rest of the way. Roanoke slowly and deliberately increased its lead throughout the final 20 minutes of play, going up by as much as 26 in the final 90 seconds before Emory & Henry closed things out with four points to make the final score 87-65.

RC was led by Paxton Gwin with 18 points and seven rebounds as she connected on all eight of her free throw attempts. Laurel Hankins tallied 13 points, three rebounds, four assists and two blocks while Tatum McKee notched 13 points and six rebounds.  Hannah Ward also scored in double digits (10) coming off the bench for the Maroons.

As a team, Roanoke shot 42.3 percent (30-for-71) from the field and connected on 21-of-29 (72.4%) of its free throw attempts. RC also held a 53-38 rebounding advantage including 19-9 margin on the offensive glass.

Emory & Henry freshman guard Asja Jenkins (Richmond, Va.) collected 13 points, two rebounds and two steals in the game while sophomore guard Courtney Puckett (Bassett, Va.) had 13 points and two rebounds as well. Junior guard Kristie Langley (Staley, N.C.) registered 10 points and four rebounds while senior forward JoBeth Wright (Mooresville, N.C.) chalked up four points, eight rebounds and four blocks.

The Wasps were 26-of-64 (37.5%) from the floor and hit six three-pointers in the game but faltered at the free throw line, only converting 57.9 percent (11-of-19) of their opportunities. E&H's bench was more active however, outscoring their counterparts from RC, 40-27.

Emory & Henry will return home on Saturday for a 2:00 p.m. contest with Shenandoah University. The game will be the first of a doubleheader with the men's team and will serve as the Wasps annual Play4Kay game to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15