Date:Sunday, December 16, 2007
Contact:Chris Kilcoyne, Sports Information Director
(804) 752-7387,
christopherkilcoyne@rmc.edu
Dixon and Varela Send Randolph-Macon Past Arcadia 81-74 in First Day of Briggs Elliott December Classic
ASHLAND, VA – Behind 24 points from senior forward Jeremy Dixon and 16 points and 12 rebounds from junior forward Boris Varela, the Randolph-Macon College men’s basketball team topped visiting Arcadia University 81-74 Sunday afternoon in the first round of the Briggs Elliott December Classic.
R-MC (4-2) also got a double-digit performance from junior David Carlson who had 17 points on the afternoon. The Yellow Jackets shot 25-for-48 (52.1%) for the game and connected on 27-of-31 free-throw attempts in the win over the Knights. The Jackets won the battle of the boards, out rebounding AU by a 33-20 margin.
Arcadia(3-4) had four players in double figures including Sterling Green who had a team-best 22 points. Eric Elliott (15 points), Terrell Varnado (11 points) and Kevin Brown (10 points) all posted double digits in a losing effort. The Knights shot 25-of-53 (47.2%) from the floor and made all 16 of their attempts from the free-throw line.
Arcadia shot 62.5% percent from the floor in the first-half to take a 41-39 lead into the intermission. A Dixon lay up on the first possession of the second-half tied the game at 41. The Knights would hold a slim lead for the next several minutes until Carlson knocked down a three-pointer with 14:34 left to play to give R-MC 56-53 lead.
The Jackets lead grew to seven points when Dixon made a lay up with 7:24 left in the game, making the score 70-63. Arcadia chipped away and got within one point at 77-76 with 50 seconds. The Knights had a shot for the go ahead score but Green’s jump shot was blocked by Jordan Brown, rebounded by Varela and R-MC converted all its free-throws down the stretch to seal the win.
The Yellow Jackets will return to action on Monday night when it will take on Muhlenberg College at 8:00 p.m. in the championship game of the tournament. The Mules knocked off NC Wesleyan 72-61 in the day’s other game. NCWC and Arcadia will square off at 6:00 p.m. in the consolation game.
-Yellow Jackets-