Bridgewater, Va. – The Bridgewater men’s basketball team welcomed a very talented Randolph-Macon squad to town on Feb. 10 and played very competitively, but ultimately the Yellow Jackets pulled away for a 81-50 victory.  

The Yellow Jackets were led late in the game by redshirt senior and former ODAC player of the year Buzz Anthony – who added 25 points, eight assists and four rebounds to another potential player of the year season.  

First-year guard Shod Smith had the tough task of guarding Anthony during the game. Smith and Anthony went back and forth in the first half, even trading buckets at one point. Smith finished with five points, four assists and six rebounds in limited minutes due to foul trouble.  

The Eagles came out aggressive and confident in the first half of the ball game as they sprinted out to an 18-14 lead. The Yellow Jacket’s pressure forced BC turnovers on back to back possessions to notch the game up at 18. The two teams continued to trade buckets until the half, where Randolph-Macon would lead 34-28.  

In the second half, junior Miles Mallory of Randolph-Macon kept the Eagles off the glass as he pulled down 13 rebounds – four of them on the offensive end. Mallory finished with 16 points and three assists as well.  

The second half belonged to Anthony as he knocked down five three-pointers in the half. It was an impressive display of basketball as he took control of the game and closed it out for the Yellow Jackets.  

Despite having to deal with Mallory down low, first-year Aaron Oates put on a solid performance for the Eagles. Oates had 12 points, four boards, and a steal in Thursday’s contest.  

The Eagles begin a stretch of four games in a week, and three on the road, when they travel to Guilford on Saturday to take on the Quakers. The Eagles will be back in Nininger Hall next Saturday, Feb. 19, to take on Roanoke.