For the first time in 26 years, the Roanoke College men’s basketball program is heading to the NCAA tournament as an auto-bid team as ODAC champions.
It happened thanks to a thrilling win on Saturday night against Randolph-Macon, where the Maroons trailed by six points with less than a minute to go, but Jackson Bell played hero, sending the Maroons to the big dance.
Monday on campus, they’d learn of their opponent - Rhodes College - who went 23-4 this season. The host team in the Maroons region is Emory, meaning they’ll take a trip down to Atlanta for their first round game. There’s a lot of emotions, but at the end of the day it’s pride that shines through the most.
“Senior year, winning the ODAC championship, we haven’t done that in a long time and especially beating Macon, we also haven’t done that in a long time, so I’ll just be happy reflecting on this,” said senior Marcus Morgan.
“There’s a whole bunch of teams out there and there’s a lot of really good ones and there’s close knit teams, but if you’re around our guys there’s a genuine connection from every one of them across the board. I keep reminding them that it’s just not like that at every place. So, value that, protect that, don’t let that be compromised. Protect that,” added Head Coach Clay Nunley.
Last year the Maroons were winners of two games before falling to Catholic University. Their game with Rhodes is Friday and is set for a 4:45 p.m. tip.
Randolph-Macon men’s and women’s basketball also made the tournament, despite both Yellow Jackets squads falling this weekend to Roanoke and Washington and Lee respectively.
The Randolph-Macon Men will take on N.C. Wesleyan on Friday at 6:45 p.m. in Ashland, Virginia while the women battle Otterbein in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
As for the undefeated W&L Generals, they capped off a perfect 28-0 season with an ODAC championship and are a host team - they’ll take on St. Mary’s College of Maryland in their home gym on Friday at 8 p.m. in what is their third NCAA tournament appearance in the last four years.
Shenandoah women’s basketball also made it into the field of 64, as the Hornets will take on Trine University on Friday at 5 p.m.