VWC basketball women away Friday, men at home on Saturday

VIRGINIA BEACH -- It will be a "basketball light" weekend for Virginia Wesleyan College's men's and women's basketball teams, with just one game scheduled for either team.

The women, currently 12-3 overall and tied for first place in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference with a 9-1 record, will begin second round competition in the league at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Va. at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20.

The host WildCats are currently 3-10 and searching for their first ODAC win in nine outings. VWC posted an 87-43 win over Randolph in the first meeting in November, led byKristen Blalock (Suffolk, Va./Portsmouth Christian) with 16 points.  Four Marlins scored in double figures. 

VWC's men take the court on Saturday, Jan. 21, hosting the Quakers of Guilford College at 2 p.m. at the Jane P. Batten Student Center. It is a key contest for both teams as it will be the only time they meet during the regular season.

While Guilford enters the game with a 12-5 mark overall, and a 6-2 record in the ODAC, the Marlins will carry in a 13-1 record and a 6-0 mark in the league.  Looks good on paper, but Guilford has dominated VWC since the 2007-08 season, winning eight of nine contests played, including a 64-61 decision last year in Greensboro, N.C.  VWC leads the overall series however, 29-17.

RANDOLPH WILDCATS
The 'Cats are led by Brianna Lowry (Herndon, Va./Herndon), who is averaging 12 points per game.  Lauren French (Blairs, Va./Chatham) has nailed 22 triples to loom as the team's major outside shooting threat.  Randolph, currently on a five-game losing streak, is averaging 48.1 points per conference game and allowing 73.2.

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN WOMEN
Virginia Wesleyan currently ranks No. 1 defensively in the ODAC, allowing 56.1 points per game, and No. 2 in scoring margin, defeating foes by an average of 12.1 points a contest. The Marlins also rank No. 2 in three-point shooting accuracy (30.9), hitting a league-leading 6.3 per game.  VWC ranks No. 44 nationally in triples made per game and No. 6 nationally in fewest turnovers per game (14.1). Rookie Sarah Seipp (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) averages 13.7 points per game to lead a balanced offense that averages 68.2 points per outing.  That three-point attack lists 10 women who have hit triples during the season, led by Seipp with 21, juniorRachael Miller (Sterling, Va./Park View) with 19, and senior Beth Ann Boyce (Colonial Heights, Va./Colonial Heights) with 17.

GUILFORD QUAKERS
The team from Greensboro, N.C. rides into Virginia Beach with three wins in the last four games. The Quakers average 72.4 points per game and surrender only 65.8.  Josh Pittman (Archdale, N.C./Trinity), Gabriel Lowder (Yadkinville, N.C./North Forsyth), an Will Freeman (Fort Wayne, Ind./Richmond) guide a balanced offense, averaging 14.1, 11.7, and 10.1 points per game, respectively.  Carson Sullivan adds another 9.9 points per outing.  Guilford is one of the top three-point shooting teams in the ODAC, led by Pittman (35 made), Lowder (31) and Matt McCarthy (Rockville, Md./Good Counsel) (18).  Guilford ranks No. 1 in the ODAC in rebounding, particularly on the offensive boards where the Quakers average 15 per outing. Brad Monroe (Asheboro, N.C./Eastern Randolph) leads GC on the board with7.6 rebounds per game.

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN MEN
VWC leads the ODAC in three-point shooting percentage (39.1), turnover margin (+6.29), and assist/turnover ratio (1.2).  The Marlins, ranked No. 2 nationally and winners of 13 consecutive contests, are averaging 85.1 points per game, the 18th highest output in the nation.  VWC also ranks No. 2 nationally in scoring margin, defeating foes by an average of 21.8 points per game.  Sophomore D.J. Woodmore (Virginia Beach/Landstown) averages 17.8 points per game, junior Chris Astorga (Suffolk, Va./Virginia Beach Cape Henry Collegiate), who twice been named to the national team of the week this season, adds another  15.6 points per game.  Senior Donald Vaughn (Woodbridge, Va./Dumfries Potomac) averages 13.2 points and junior Chris Teasley (Newport News, Va./Menchville) comes through with 11.1 points per game.

--AMDG--