LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Women's Basketball Team (4-0, 1-0) continued its winning ways with a 75-49 win to open Old Dominion Athletic Conference play over Randolph College (0-4, 0-1 ODAC) at the RAD Center Tuesday evening. With the victory, E&H has now equaled its best start in the NCAA Division III era of women's basketball. The Wasps won their first four games during the 1984-85 season as well.
Randolph and Emory & Henry went back and forth with four ties and three lead changes over the first five minutes of the opening period. The Wasps closed the quarter with a 12-2 run to take an 18-10 lead 10 minutes into the game.
In the second frame, the WildCats fought back to cut the lead to 24-19 on an old-fashioned three-point play by Alexis Calloway with 6:10 left before the half, but the Wasps responded with a counterpunch as they took a 34-28 lead into the locker room, despite being out-scored, 18-16, in the second quarter.
Emory & Henry came out of the intermission with ferocity on both ends of the court, opening the margin up to 48-28 with a 14-0 run over the first 6:20 of the third act. The Wasps pushed their advantage to 23 with one quarter remaining (56-33) thanks to back-to-back three-pointers by senior guard Anna Green (Raleigh, N.C.).
The Wasps were able to get some of their younger players valuable time during the fourth period for a third game in a row. Nine of the team's 19 fourth-quarter points came at the free throw line while eight more came thanks to a strong presence inside the paint. E&H led by as much as 28 twice down the stretch before a final field goal by Randolph made the score 75-49.
The victory, which also marked the third in a row for the Wasps over the WildCats, also solidified Emory & Henry as the last remaining unbeaten team in the ODAC.
Senior forward Karina Farr (Graham, Wash.) led all players with 16 points on six-for-12 shooting with six steals and three rebounds. Senior forward Tamara Brewster (Morrow, Ga.) had 13 points and six rebounds while junior guard Megan Jacoby (Richmond, Va.) added 11 points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals. Green and junior guard Asja Jenkins (Richmond, Va.) added nine points each off the bench with Jenkins pulling down a game-high 10 rebounds.
Emory & Henry shot 43.1 percent (28-for-65) from the field, hitting five three-pointers and going 14-for-22 (63.6%) from the free throw line. The Wasps held a 46-34 rebounding advantage and a 21-10 margin on the offensive glass for a 20-8 lead on second-chance points. E&H also led 34-18 on points in the paint and 20-6 on points off turnovers.
Randolph's Rebecca Harvey had a team-high 11 points and five rebounds while Abigail Bullins notched 10 points and two boards. Calloway finished the contest with nine points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals. As a team, the WildCats managed to shoot just 19-for-52 (36.5%) from the floor, and only earned eight points at the free throw line. The E&H press kept the offense off balance, as Randolph made 24 turnovers on the night.
Emory & Henry will have a week before its next game when it travels to face the Pride of Greensboro College on Wednesday, December 2 at 7:00 p.m.
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15