VIRGINIA BEACH -- When a tree becomes an obstacle, don't try to run through it. Run around it.

When it became evident that Washington and Lee University's 6-foot-8 Drew Kimblery and 6-7 Jim Etling were standing their ground consistently in the first half of Saturday's Old Dominion Athletic Conference men's basketball game at Virginia Wesleyan College, the host Marlins started to find ways to get to the basket.

Body twisting, lengthy leans, and solid defense all combined to spark the No. 16-ranked Marlins to an 85-54 Old Dominion Athletic Conference victory before a large VWC Hall of Fame game crowd at the Jane P. Batten Student Center.

Once the Marlins (13-4, 6-2) found ways to score inside, the effort become contageous, spreading to the perimeter as well.  Virgina Wesleyan led 34-28 at halftime, but produce a 21-10 scoring surge in the first eight minutes of the second half to open up a 55-38 advantage over the Generals (5-12, 2-6)

Virginia Wesleyan's big men were key in sparking the scoring surge, as 6-6 seniors Trent Batson (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen) and Colby Heard (Virginia Beach/Tallwood) started to assert themselves inside.  Heard battled in the paint and scored six points, while Batson added four, inlcuding a crowd-rousing dunk off an assist from senior D.J. Woodmore (Virginia Beach/Landstown).  Woodmore hit back-to-back triples to extend the run, before WLU's Jok Asiyo (Stroudsburg, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) hit a jumper.

By that time, Virginia Wesleyan had things under control, padding the lead consistently, reaching a lead of 29 points after senior Aaron Clark (Virginia Beach/Tallwood) fired up the crowd by connecting on three consecutive triples in a span of 38 seconds.  Sophomore Sedric Nady (Virginia Beach/Landstown) delivered the assists on all three triples.

Woodmore and Heard found their games in the second half, as both Marlins scored 12 points to help the Marlins pull away.  Woodmore finished with 17 points for VWC and Heard tallied 14, hitting 7-of-9 field goal attempts. Heard's effort from the field was part of a 54.1% shooting mark by the Marlins in the second half.

Heard and Woodmore were part of a balanced Virginia Wesleyan offense that received scoring from 10 Marlins.  Rookie Khory Moore (Arlington/Wakefield) finished with 12 points and Owens and Batson tallied 10 each.  VWC, which entered the game ranked No. 4 nationally in triples made per game with a 10.5 average, added to that success with 12 triples against the Generals.  Moore and Clark hit three each and Woodmore, Nady, and Owens nailed two each.

Kimberly led Washington and Lee with 18 points, connecting on 7-of-11 shots inside.  He just missed a double-double, leading all rebounding with nine.  Patrick O'Connor (Richmond, Va./Douglas Freeman) netted 14 points for the Generals.

Virginia Wesleyan returns to the court on Wednesday, Jan. 29, hosting the Eagles of Bridgewater College at 5 p.m.

--AMDG--