WINCHESTER, Va. – The Shenandoah University men's basketball team earned its first ODAC win of the 2017-18 season with an 80-78 home victory over Randolph College Saturday afternoon.
The overtime contest is the third of the season for SU (4-3, 1-1 ODAC) and the second in as many ODAC contests.
After seeing Randolph (0-8, 0-3) jump out to an 11-point, 35-24, lead by the 5:27 mark of the first, the Hornets used a 13-3 run of their own midway through the second to take a 56-55 lead with 11:58 remaining.
The two teams then traded the lead four more times and were tied on four occasions in regulation, giving the Shingleton Gymnasium faithful extra basketball for the second time in the past eight days.
With 18 seconds remaining in regulation, senior Jordan Hunter knotted the contest at 72-72 thanks to a running layup.
Hunter was fouled on the play but missed the ensuing free throw with Randolph grabbing the rebound.
This gave the 'Cats the final possession of regulation, but Sammy Hooper's 3-point attempt was off the mark and Brian Smith could not stick back the rebound before time expired.
Randolph scored the initial two buckets of overtime only to see Shenandoah tie it at 76-76 thanks to two successful free throws each from Kwa McDonald followed by a Jalyn Jarrett layup.
Two more free throws, from Christian Meredith at 2:33, gave the Hornets the lead for good.
Christopher Chaney and Jonah Meredith each made 1-of-2 from the line in the final 11 seconds to secure the victory.
Shenandoah shot 40 percent (28-of-70) from the field to offset a 56-46 rebounding edge for Randolph.
SU also scored 17 points off of 14 WildCats turnovers.
McDonald led the victors with 17 points with Jarrett adding 15, Chaney 11 and Dominic Steward 10.
Chaney had a double-double with 11 rebounds while Christian Meredith had a co-game-high 12 boards.
"We are very proud of our guys for fighting through another overtime game and coming out with the result you hope for in close games as we learn how to win games," head coach Adam Walsh said. "We are glad to be in the 'W' column in ODAC play as you want to take care of home court when you have the chance because conference games can be tough to get."
Shenandoah is off until traveling to Penn St. – Altoona on Saturday for a non-league game with the Lions. This game is part of a men/women doubleheader with the SU women.
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