SALEM, Va. -- Virginia Wesleyan College has earned the opportunity to
defend its Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship.

The Marlins advanced to the 2013 title game with a 78-68 victory over
the WildCats of Randolph College in Saturday's semifinal game at the
Civic Center.  Virgina Wesleyan will play in the championship game for
the seventh time in the past 10 years and will attempt to claim its
fifth ODAC title since 2005.

Senior Tre' Ford (Falls Church/J.E.B. Stuart) hit a jumper to give No.
21 Virginia Wesleyan (21-6) a 25-23 lead with 9:26 remaining in the
first half and the Marlins led the rest of the way.  Senior Chris
Teasley (Newport News//Menchville) and Ford both hit triples to help
VWC open up an eight point lead in the ensuing minutes, before
Randolph (21-6) cut the spread to four behind the scoring of Mike
Ehilegbu (Raleigh, N.C./Ravenscroft), Chris Battaglia
(Smithfield/Portsmouth Christian) and ODAC Player of the Year Colton
Hunt (Whittier, N.C./Smoky Mountain).

Virginia Wesleyan pushed back out to a 40-27 halftime lead and held
off a WildCat charge at the beginning of the second half.  The 'Cats
moved within seven points of the Marlins, but could not get closer the
remainder of the game.  VWC led by as many as 15 points in the second
half.

One night after scoring a career high 28 points in a quarterfinal
victory over Eastern Mennonite University, Teasley emerged as the
leading scorer once again for the Marlins with a game-high 24 points.
He hit 8-of-14 field goals against Randolph and has nailed 20-of-32
attempts in the past two games, including 5-of-9 triples.

The Marlins, who took Saturday's win without the talents of junior DJ
Woodmore (Virginia Beach/Landstown), who sat out nursing a sprained
ankle, finished with four players in double-figure scoring.  Senior
Chris Astorga (Suffolk/Virginia Beach Cape Henry Collegiate)tallied 16
points, Ford finished with 15 and junior Trent Batson (Lewes,
Del./Cape Henlopen) scored 11, hitting 5-of-6 shots inside.

Virginia Wesleyan fared well from long distance, firing 24 triples and
hitting 11.  Ford and Teasley nailed three each.  Randolph put up 21
trey attempts and connected only four times, with Ehilegbu hitting
two.

Hunt led Randolph with 22 points, hitting 9-of-23 field goal attempts.
 Battaglia scored 18 points, connecting on 8-of-9 field goal attempts,
and Ehilegbu finished with 17 points, hitting 5-of-10 field goal
attempts.

Randolph out-rebounded VWC 35-29, led by Hunt with 11.  Senior Art
Crew (Williamsburg/Layafette) and Teasley pulled down five rebounds
each for Virginia Wesleyan.  Both teams handled the ball well
throughout the game as VWC turned it over only five times, while
Randolph recorded only nine turnovers.

--AMDG--