Va. Wesleyan Edges Past Bridgewater

Marlins Hold Off Bridgewater to Move on to Semis

February 29, 2008  -  Box Score

SALEM, Va. --- Virginia Wesleyan College continued its run at a second league title in the last three years by outlasting Bridgewater College, 78-69, in the third game of third game of the ODAC Men’s Basketball Tournament.  The Marlins, now 21-5, move on to the second semifinal and await the winner of Randolph-Macon College and Hampden-Sydney College.  The Eagles bow out with a 13-13 overall record.

Both teams lit up the nets in the first half with Bridgewater shooting 60-percent and Virginia Wesleyan at 52.9-percent, but it was the Marlins that commanded a 13-point halftime lead.  The Eagles turned the ball over 11 times compared to only two giveaways for VWC, helping the Marlins take 14 more shots than their counterparts.

The Marlins quickly pushed its lead to 15 points inside of three minutes into the second half, but Bridgewater settled in and gradually starting working down the difference.  The Eagles eventually drew within one after a lay-up and free throw from Justin Reavis with 8:37 to play.

VWC regained a five-point edge following a pair of Stephen Fields lay-ups.  Neither team could gather any momentum throughout the rest of the contest with the Marlins maintaining its small advantage through the final horn.

Fields led all scorers and four Marlins in double figures with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting.  Norman Hassell added 19 points, hitting all six shots from the charity stripe.  D’Juan Tucker and TonTon Balenga chipped in 11 points apiece.

Jay Strotman and Dominic Trawick led the Eagles with 18 points each.  Trawick hit four three-pointers and collected 14 of his points in the second half.  Michael Oblitey and Andrew Cathlin each finished with 10 points.

Virginia Wesleyan is set to play in the second men’s semifinal on Saturday, March 1.  Game time is set for 8:00 p.m. in the Salem Civic Center.