MBB Drops NCAA Opener to #1 Randolph-Macon

ASHLAND, Va. – The Mitchell College men's basketball team saw its season come to an end on Friday night, falling 99-57 to top-ranked Randolph-Macon College in the opening round of the 2022 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship at Crenshaw Gymnasium.

Alfonzo Stokes and Mikey Buscetto led the Mariners with 13 points apiece. Ahmani Browne finished with nine points while Wilton Causey chipped in eight points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Josh Talbert netted a game-high 21 points on 9-for-12 shooting to lead RMC, which won its 22^nd straight game and improved to 28-1 overall. The hosts shot 59 percent as a squad and shot 11-for-23 from beyond the arc.

The Yellow Jackets limited the high-scoring Mariners to a season-low 57 points on 38-percent shooting. Mitchell entered the tournament ranked 15th in the country in scoring, averaging 86.0 points per game.

The Mariners fell into a 6-0 hole at the start of the game and never climbed out. RMC led 14-10 before going on an 11-3 run to open up a double-digit lead, a stretch that was capped by a three ball from Will Coble with 8:41 remaining in the half.

The Yellow Jackets picked up steam as the half wound down, scoring 21 points in the final 5:28 to lead 52-26 at the break. Miles Mallory led the charge with 11 points in the first half while Stokes paced Mitchell with nine.

Buscetto scored 10 of his 13 points in the second half, but it wasn't nearly enough to reel in the Yellow Jackets. RMC advances to Saturday's second round and will face Babson University for a Sweet 16 berth.

Mitchell, making its third NCAA appearance, finished the year with a record of 17-11 under head coach Todd Peretz.