Bridgewater, Va. – Both Bridgewater College men’s and women’s basketball teams had a busy week, despite a snowy start. The men’s team went undefeated on the week while the women also picked up an ODAC victory.

Men’s Basketball (6-8, 2-4 ODAC)

The BC men’s basketball team opened up the week with a much needed win over crosstown rival Eastern Mennonite (73-63) on Wednesday in the Battle of Route 42.

In one of the best performances of the season, up to this point, the Eagles lead for most of the game. However, the Eagles could not pull away until late in the second half when they went on a nine point run capped off by a layup by first-year Rashod Smith – which stretched the lead to 55-46 in the second half.

BC would then go bucket for bucket with the Royals for the rest of the game to secure their first ODAC win of the season, behind sophomore Alec Topper’s double-double performance with 23 points and ten rebounds.

The Eagles then hosted another ODAC opponent on Saturday as Randolph came to town.

The Eagles led at the half 36-31, but out of the break the Wildcats tied it at 42-42 with 14 minutes left to play before the Eagles offense came alive. 

BC stretched the lead back out to ten on a run that saw two massive dunks from first-year Aaron Oates and Topper. The Eagles never looked back as they clinched their second ODAC win on the season (84-70).

Topper added another double double with a career high 29 points and 12 rebounds. Smith also set a career high in assists with 11; he too put up a double-double with 19 points.

The Eagles will be back in action on Monday, Jan. 24 when they travel to Ferrum (5-10,0-6 ODAC). 

Women’s Basketball (6-7, 3-3 ODAC)

The BC women’s basketball team also had a very busy week with three ODAC games on the schedule. 

The Eagles opened the week traveling up I-81 to take on Shenandoah University on Wednesday. The Eagles got behind early in the first frame of play after a quick start from the hornets, but were able to close the gap and head into the break tied at 29-29. 

The second half was all Hornets, as BC shot two for 13 from the field in the third quarter. Despite the effort in the fourth, the Eagles ultimately fell 64-56.

Thursday night the Eagles had to turn things around in a hurry as Washington and Lee University made the trip to Nininger Hall.

The Eagles led 10-4 early in the first quarter, but were outscored 35-11 from that point on in the first half. At the half, the Eagles found themselves trailing 39-21. 

The second half was a completely different story as BC came out of the locker room with much more defensive discipline and outscored the Generals 20-11 in the third quarter – which cut the lead to 11.

BC’s defense was still alive and well in the fourth quarter as they cut the lead down to as little as seven in the closing stages, but ended up falling to the Generals 69-60.

The Eagles finished the week with a trip to Greensboro, NC to take on Guilford.

BC had the slight edge early leading after the first quarter 12-10. The Eagles led 18-15 late in the second quarter before the Quakers went on a 9-0 run to end the half and took the lead at the break (24-18).

The Eagles flipped the script in the third quarter as they went on a run of their own outscoring the Quakers 21-14 – which put them back out in front before the final ten minutes (39-38).

The offense was not as active in the fourth quarter for either squad. BC trailed with just more than two minutes to go before two aggressive plays in the paint flipped the script.

 Senior Erika Nettles went to work in the post and was fouled. After making the and-one that followed the three-point play by first-year Noelle Horton, on the next possession Nettles drove and was fouled again. Nettles made the front end of her two shots at the charity stripe to put the Eagles up by three.

Guilford cut the lead to one after a time out, but a free throw from junior Mary Ruth Shifflett and an offensive rebound from Nettles on the second sealed the deal for a 48-44 victory.

Nettles had a season-high 19 points in the win.

The Eagles will be back in action on Monday, Jan. 24 as they host Roanoke (11-2, 6-0 ODAC).

BCVoice Player of The Week

Alec Topper is this week’s BCVoice Player of The Week. The sophomore came off of the bench and put up two double-doubles in BC’s two wins on the hardwood.