YORK, PA – The Randolph-Macon men's basketball squad was red hot from the field all day as they handed the York College Spartans an 87-68 loss in the fourth game of the 2023 Spartan Basketball Classic in York on Sunday.
The Yellow Jackets shot 70% for the first half and 62% overall as they won six of their last seven games.
Randolph Macon improves to 7-3 overall while the Spartans fall to 5-4.
 
How It Happened
• The game was back and forth early as both teams were attempting to gain momentum. The Spartans took a 13-11 lead on a Shawn Barclay bucket with 14:04 left in the first half. The Yellow Jackets answered with a quick 8-0 run to take an 18-13 lead. Barclay hit another basket and Pat Gilhool drilled a three to tie the game for the third time. Randolph-Macon scored six of the next nine points to take a 24-21 lead with 9:16 remaining in the first.
• The Spartans took their final lead of the night as Kai Cipalla hit a pair of free throws and Chris Miers followed with a three to put York up 26-24. The Yellow Jackets fashioned a 10-2 run to push out to a 34-28 lead with just over five minutes left. Jabril Robinson had five points on the run as they seized control of the contest. Randolph-Macon finished the first half by scoring 11 of the final 18 points of the stanza to take a 45-35 lead to the break.
• The Spartans were fortunate not to trail by more as the Yellow Jackets converted 19-of-27 (70.4%) from the floor including 3-of-6 from three. Conversely, the Spartans shot 40% (10-for-25) from the field while they stayed in the game from the line, making 10-of-16 from the stripe.
• York trimmed the lead to seven (50-43) early on in the second but the Yellow Jackets continued to slowly build on their lead. Margad Choijilsuren hit a lay-up at the 14:03 mark to push the lead to 12 at 59-47. The Yellow Jackets then put together a sustained 13-5 run that covered 4:09 of game time. The Yellow Jackets eventually pushed the lead to a game-high 20 before settling for the 19-point win.
 
By The Numbers
Randolph-Macon ended up shooting 62.5% (35-for-56) from the field while they were 5-for-11 (45.5%) from three and 60% (12-for-20) from the stripe … York shot just 37.3% (19-for-51) from the floor, 36.4% (8-for-22) from three and 64.7% (22-for-34) from the free throw line … the Yellow Jackets had a big 40-22 bulge in rebounding … RMC had a 18-9 margin in second chance points while they also had a 54-22 advantage in paint points … York forced 15 Randolph-Macon turnovers which they turned into 19 points … York had just seven turnovers in the game.
 
Spartan Notes
York is now 0-3 all-time against Randolph-Macon as the Yellow Jackets made their first-ever trip to Wolf Gymnasium … the Yellow Jackets are receiving votes in the most recent d3hoops.com poll … RMC's 62.5% field goal percentage was a season-high for a Spartan opponent … York's 22 made free throws were their second highest total of the year (23 vs. Arcadia) … York was out-rebounded for the second time in three games and the third time overall … York is 0-3 when losing the battle on the glass … York had another five blocked shots as they have recorded 21 blocked shots in their last three games … York's seven turnovers were a season low and the first time this year that their turnovers were in single digits … sophomore guard Jayden Rowe led the way for York as he notched 16 points, two rebounds, three assists, two blocked shots, and one steal in 32 minutes of play … Kai Cipalla added 12 points, six rebounds, one steal and one block in the contest … Jackson Mascari was the third Spartan in double figures with 11 points, three rebounds, five assists, and two blocked shots … senior Shawn Barclay tallied a season-high seven points in his nine minutes of action … Barclay also had four rebounds in the contest.
 
Up Next
York heads back out on the road on Wednesday afternoon as they head to Penn State Altoona to face the Lions in a non-conference contest. Tip time in Altoona is set for 5:00 pm.