Jordan Crump scored 29 points Sunday as Virginia Wesleyan beat the Belhaven Blazers of Mississippi 67-61 to finish 2-0 in the North Beach Plastic Surgery Christmas Classic at Townbank Arena.
The Marlins (12-1) made a strong bid to return to the d3hoops.com Top 25. Their only loss came Nov. 29, 50-41 to Randolph-Macon, and coach Dave Macedo’s club has won six straight games since then, including a 74-68 victory Thursday at No. 12 Christopher Newport.
Crump sank 9 of 15 field goal attempts, including 7 of 13 three-point attempts. Khalil Davis added 10 points and Elo Wilson had 12 rebounds for VWU.
Luke Koch and Jonathan Lucas each scored 12 goals for Belhaven (7-3), erasing a 10-point deficit in the second half. The Blazers, who advanced to the final with Saturday’s 64-62 win over Averett, tied the score at 60 on a Jordan Marshall 3-pointer at the 2:22 mark but did not make another field goal. Crump’s 3-pointer with 21 seconds left made it 66-60.
Christopher Newport 68, Wilson 49: The Captains (8-3) pulled away by hitting seven 3-pointers in the second half in Chambersburg, Pa., against host Phoenix (5-6).
Freshman Hassan Hammad scored four points and finished with 19 points and seven rebounds. Ty Henderson had 12 points and six rebounds, Tua Hollenbeck had 11 points and Jan Hynes had 10 points for CNU. Not making the trip was All-American Trey Barber, who was unavailable for the second half of Thursday’s loss to Virginia Wesleyan.
Longwood 68, VMI 49: Wallin Naber had 19 points and five steals for Farmville as Longwood (12-1) earned its 12th straight win by defeating the Kidets (2-10). The Lancers are coached by former Norfolk Academy star Griff Aldrich.
Simon Zabala scored 15 points and added five rebounds, and Jonathan Massey added 12 points.
Tyrann Cook finished with 14 points for the Keydets (2-10).
Syracuse 83, Oregon 63: Judah Mintz scored 18 points, Quader Copeland had 15 points, nine rebounds and five assists off the bench, and the Orange (8-3) beat the Ducks (7-3) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Kwame Evans Jr. scored 17 points for Oregon, going 4 of 27 from 3-point range.
Louisville 85, Pepperdine 63: Brandon Huntley-Hatfield scored 20 points for the second straight game and had a season-high 12 rebounds as host Louisville ended a three-game losing streak by defeating the Waves (5-8).
Losses to Virginia Tech and DePaul, followed by an embarrassing 75-63 loss to Arkansas State, the program’s first double-digit loss at home to a team with a losing record since 1963, sparked speculation about coach Kenny Payne’s job security. Payne is 5-6 in his second season, 9-34 overall. Sunday’s win gave Louisville an additional win over last year.
No. 16 Illinois 74, Colgate 57: Coleman Hawkins scored 16 points, and Quincy Guerrier and Marcus Domasek each scored 15 points for the host Illini (8-2), who led from start to finish. Terrance Shannon Jr. scored 14 points despite not scoring in the second half for the Illini.
Colgate (6-5), which has qualified for the NCAA tournament four times in five years, was led by Jeff Woodward’s 14 points.
when. 17 Colorado State 86, CSU-People 54: Isaiah Stevens had 18 points to move closer to taking over as the program’s all-time leading scorer, and Colorado State shook off a slow start at home in Fort Collins to move past the Division II team.
The Rams returned to the court eight days after a 64-61 home loss to Saint Mary’s. They looked a little lethargic early but quickly found their rhythm, using a 20-2 run midway through the first half to break away from CSU-Pueblo.
Stevens’ smooth shooting kept him 14 points short of breaking the school scoring mark on the men’s team held by Pat Durham, who collected 1,980 points from 1985-89.
Stony Brook 78, Army 74 (OT): Aaron Clark scored 21 points off the bench, Tyler Stephenson-Moore scored eight in overtime, and the Seawolves (6-5) beat the Black Knights (2-9) in West Point, New York. Josh Scovins finished with 31 points, seven assists and four steals for Army.
Navy 91, Washington College, Maryland 33: Cam Summers and Lysander Renstrom scored 13 points each for the Midshipmen (3-6) as they beat a Division III opponent in Annapolis, Maryland.
Virginia Wesleyan University’s women’s basketball team continues to dominate the court as they improved to an impressive 12-1 record with a recent win over Mississippi State. The Marlins have proven to be a force to be reckoned with, showcasing their talent and determination with each game. This latest victory further solidifies their position as a top competitor in the world of college basketball. The team’s success and unwavering drive are a testament to their hard work and dedication, and as they continue to strive for excellence, it’s clear that Virginia Wesleyan is a team to watch.