VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - No. 2 Virginia Wesleyan led throughout in an 86-56 non-conference men's basketball victory over Shenandoah University Saturday afternoon.

The Marlins (7-1) jumped on their future ODAC rivals for the first 10 points of the game and never looked back against SU (1-7).

Freshman James Bowens snapped that scoreless streak to start the game for the Hornets with a 3-point play at the 12:28 mark, but this would prove to be the visitors high-water mark.

VWC answered the Bowens layup and free throw with a 7-2 run over the next 84 seconds and never let the lead fall into single digits again.

A 12-2 spurt, this one in response to a Bowens dunk, pushed the Marlins lead to 29-9 with 4:59 remaining in the first.

The lead hit 30 points 2:01 into the second half and was expanded to 38 points before Shenandoah scored 16 of the final 24 points of the contest.

SU shot 47.9 percent (23 for 48) for the game and was 15 of 29 (51.7 percent) in the second half, but lost the battle of the glass 39-25.

Virginia Wesleyan had 22 second-chance points to the Hornets' eight.

Bowens, Avery Green, Ross Heyl and Xavier Alston all paced the visitors with eight points each.

Nine different men registered at least three points each for SU.

DJ Woodmore and Chris Astorga had 14 each for the victors.

Shenandoah completes pre-Christmas play on Tuesday with a 7 p.m. home contest against Eastern Mennonite.

###