ASHLAND, Va. -- Chris Teasley proved Wednesday that it's not always about statistics when it comes to contribution to a winning effort in men's basketball. (Box score)

Despite scoring only five points overall, the talented sophomore from Newport News (Menchville) emerged big time for No. 9 Virginia Wesleyan College in the final two minutes at No. 7 Randolph-Macon College, helping guide the Marlins to a big 59-57 early season victory in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference opener for both teams.

After the host Yellow Jackets (4-2, 0-1) erased a seven-point deficit and eventually tied the game at 55-all on a free throw by Jordan Brown (Chesterfield, Va./L.C. Bird), VWC 's attempt at a three-pointer for the lead missed the mark.  But, Teasley was there to snare the offensive rebound, to keep the Marlins in possession with 2:18 on the clock.

Second later, Teasley spotted an opening in the R-MC defense and fired the ball to sophomore Tre' Ford (Falls Church, Va./J.E.B. Stuart), who buried a shot that gave Virginia Wesleyan a 57-55 advantage with the clock winding down.

R-MC had the opportunity to tie, or take the lead, on its ensuing possession, but could not get the ball to drop  In fact, the Jackets hit the boards hard to produce two offensive rebounds that led to shots, but three attempts to score failed.  VWC sophomoreChris Astorga (Suffolk, Va./Virginia Beach Cape Henry) blocked the second scoring attempts and junior Donald Vaughn (Woodbridge, Va./Dumfries Potomac) grabbed the rebound for VWC after the third missed attempt.

Frustrated R-MC head coach Nathan Davis drew a technical foul after the fury of action at the basket, sendingTeasley to the free throw line for VWC where he nailed both attempts to give the Marlins a 59-55 lead with 1:36 remaining to be played.

An Eric Pugh (Silver Spring, Md./James Blake) layup with 57 seconds showing cut the deficit to 59-57, and after the Marlins missed a three-point attempt, the Jackets had the chance to tie.  But, as Pugh went in for the score, Vaughn, one of the leading shot blockers in VWC history, was right there with him for the Marlins to block the attempt.  Lamar Giggetts (Fredericksburg, Va./Courtland) grabbed the offensive rebound and put up another shot that missed at the buzzer.

Virginia Wesleyan never allowed Randolph-Macon more than a three-point lead throughout the game.  That was early after Brown electrified the home crowd with a dunk of an assist from Calvin Croskey (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park).  It also ignited VWC however, the Marlins answered with a 6-0 surge, including a dunk by junior Ali Brown (Hampton, Va./Kechoughtan) off a DJ Woodmore (Virginia Beach/Landstown) assist to take an 11-8 lead.

R-MC came back to take a 15-13 lead at the 9:31 mark of the half, but could not hold on.  A three-pointer by Astorga put the Marlins back in front and VWC led the final 8:40 en route to a 32-27 halftime lead.   A pair of free throws by Ford gave the Marlins their largest lead of the half at 32-25.

Virginia Wesleyan pushed its lead to nine points twice in the second half, the last time with 14:07 remaining, before R-MC put together a 10-0 run to forge into a 45-44 lead on a free throw by Brandon Braxton (Cape Charles, Va./Northampton). 

But, momentum did not stay long with the Jackets as Woodmore and Astorga connected on back-to-back triples for Virginia Wesleyan as the Marlins took a 50-45 advantage.  A missed shot by R-MC led was followed by a jumper by junior Art Crew (Williamsburg, Va./Lafayette) as Virginia Wesleyan answered the Jackets' run with an 8-0 run that gave the Marlins the lead for good.

VWC shot 48% from the floor, including 52% in the first half, led by Vaughn and Astorga with 14 points each.  Vaughn hit 5-of-10 fielders and posted game-high totals with eight rebounds and three blocks.  Astorga canned 5-of-9 shots, including 3-of-4 triples, and Woodmore hit 5-of-7 shots, including two triples, en route to 12 ponts.

Pugh and Brown led R-MC with 13 points each.  Braxton added 10 points.  Adam Desgain (Richmond, Va./J.R. Tucker) was the leading rebounder for the Jackets with six boards.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to competition on Saturday, Dec. 4, hosting Emory & Henry College's Wasps at 2 p.m. at the Jane P. Batten Student Center.

--AMDG--