Dalton State Roadrunners Fall To 2-3 With Loss To Virgin Islands

Friday, November 23, 2018
Erik Simpson

Dalton State kept it close early, but an 11-0 run mid-way through the first half was all the lead Virgin Islands would need as they held on for a 69-56 win in the first game of the Life University Classic at The Eagles Nest in Marietta on Friday night.

The Roadrunners would build a quick 5-2 lead after a D'Anfernee Pugh three-pointer with 17:56 left in the first half. Virgin Islands would quickly turn the score back in their favor, but the Roadrunners would battle hard and tie it up at 11-11 after a Luke Luna bucket.

Virgin Islands would start to click though and go on an 11-0 run to take the lead, 22-11.

With 5:24 remaining in the half, VI would stretch the lead out to 12 after a Josh Mitchell trey from behind the arc. Dalton State begin to chip away at the lead from that point closing the half on a 10-3 run of their own to trail 34-29 going into the break.

Virgin Islands would come out of the half on an 8-2 run to stretch the lead back out to double-digits at 42-31. Dalton State would get a basket to cut the lead back to nine, but another 8-0 saw Virgin Islands increase the lead to 17 at 50-33 with 12:36 left in the ballgame. In all, Virgin Islands would open the second period out scoring the Roadrunners 16-4.

The Roadrunners would battle back and go on a 19-6 run of their own, capped by two Timothy Green free throws to cut the Virgin Islands lead to four with 5:29 to go. Both squads would trade buckets as the game stayed within reach for Dalton State. Down the stretch VI would capitalize on Dalton State turnovers and get the lead back to eight with 2:02 left. Virgin Islands would hit shots from the line to salt the game away to win 69-56.

#15 Dalton State falls to (2-3 overall) with the loss, while Virgin Islands improves to (4-4 overall) on the young season. Junior Sean Cranney led Dalton State with 15 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. It was an unusually cold night from the field for the Roadrunners as Cranney was the only player in double-figures. In all, the Roadrunners went 19-of-62 (30.6 %) from the field in the loss compared to Virgin Islands who shot 25-of-52 (44.6 %). Luke Luna, Kingston Frazier, and Timothy Green each contributed nine points, while Aaron Burress pulled down 10 rebounds.

Dylan Spriggins led Virgin Islands with 25 points. Harold Cardwell and Elijah Bush had 12 and 10 points respectively as Virgin Islands had three players score in double-figures. Cardwell added nine boards and six assists to the stat line.

#15 Dalton State will look to get back to .500 overall when they hit the court again tomorrow, November 24 when they take on a familiar foe in Coastal Georgia in the second day of the Life University Classic from The Eagles Nest in Marietta. Tip-Off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.