Written by Garrett Ruggieri
Coming off an incredible nine-game win streak to end the regular season, the RC Maroons men’s basketball team (18-7, 11-5 ODAC) enter the ODAC tournament as the number two seed, only behind Randolph Macon (18-7, 12-4 ODAC) by one conference win.
With this stellar regular season, the Maroons were granted a first-round bye in the tournament and will face off against number seven seed Lynchburg College on Friday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m.
These two teams have faced off twice this season, both squads having a game in front of their home crowd as well as on the road; both road teams won.
Lynchburg came to the Cregger Center and outlasted the Maroons on Charles Moir court in a 90-85 overtime battle. The following matchup proved to be more satisfying for the Maroons, as the men entered their house and coasted by Lynchburg 100-74 victory in dominating fashion.
Junior forward Josh Freund played at a high level in both meetings, posting 29 and 17, while junior guard CJ Miles provided 19 and 15.
For Lynchburg, forward Connor Schroder led the team in both games with 24 and 17. In the second meeting, Roanoke was fueled by shooting 50% from beyond the arc, tying a school record with 18 three pointers.
In this quarterfinal matchup, only one team can move on. The lights will be bright, and fans from both schools will be in attendance at the Salem Civic Center.
Students can receive free ticket vouchers for the game from the info desk in Colket. Make sure to bring a Roanoke College ID card when arriving at the Civic Center to ensure free entry.
