OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Senior
Omari Ringgold led three players in double-figures with 16 points and the Albright men's basketball team earned a 73-64 victory over Randolph-Macon on Saturday in the Owings Mills Gymnasium.
Ringgold finished the game 6-of-10 from the floor as well as 2-of-5 from the three-point line. The senior also was perfect from the free throw line to lead the Lions to victory.
Calvert Gantz collected a double-double finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds as well as three blocks and two assists, while
Jayson Clark added 10 points of his own.
Brandon Lindsay scored eight points off the bench for the Lions.
Albright, which improved to 2-1, puzzled the Randolph-Macon defense by jumping out to a 34-28 lead at halftime after shooting 46.7 percent from the floor and 50 percent from behind the arc.
Randolph-Macon, which remains winless on the season, dropped to 0-3 in the 2016-17 season. Daniel Noe came off the bench and finished with a game-high 22 points for the Yellow Jackets, while Michael Taylor scored 14 points.
The Lions opened the first half on a 7-0 run with Gantz scoring a basket and Ringgold following with back-to-back baskets of his own, including a three-pointer. Randolph-Macon remained off the board until 13:20 when Noe laid the ball into the net. Both teams traded points before Korey Turner made a free throw to give the Yellow Jackets their first lead of the game at 6:27.
Albright regained the lead with 58 seconds remaining in the half after Lindsay drained a three-pointer to put the Lions up 29-26. Lindsay's shot sparked an 8-2 run for Albright in the final minutes.
Fred Rowles followed his teammate's three with a jumper, and Lindsay sank a second three-pointer with time running out to give Albright a six-point lead entering halftime.
The Yellow Jackets were no match for the Lions in the second half as Randolph-Macon was unable to regain the lead. One part of Albright's success in the final 20 minutes was that the team shot an impressive 90.48 percent from the free throw line. The Lions made 19 free throws to aid them to a 39-36 edge in points.
Thomas Vazzana handed Albright the upper hand with 11:22 left in the second half as the senior made two free throws to extend the Lions lead to 51-36. The 15-point differential was Albright's largest lead of the game.
Noe attempted to lead the Yellow Jackets back scoring six points in the final minute of the period, but his efforts proved futile.
Jayson Clark made four free throws, while Ringgold and
DeJuan Smith each made a pair of free throws to seal a win for the Lions.
Albright returns to action on Tuesday when the Lions travel to St. Davids, Pa. to face off against Eastern University. Tipoff for the non-conference matchup is set for 7 p.m.