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NORFOLK, Va. -- The fifth-ranked Virginia Wesleyan College Marlins (16-2) snapped the Captains 12-game winning streak tonight, beating CNU 89-74 in the Hampton Roads Coaches vs. Cancer Doubleheader. The Captains (16-4) led by as many as eight, but could not overcome a big first-half run that gave the Marlins the lead for good. Freshmen Mike Cherry and Nik Biberaj scored 26 and 21 points, respectively, to lead the way for CNU.

The game was part of the Suits & Sneakers initiative, and both Va. Wesleyan and Christopher Newport coaching staffs sported tennis shoes with their business attire. The national event is designed to raise awareness about Coaches vs. Cancer and the importance of cancer prevention and early detection. The game was held in the Ted Constant Convocation Center on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, in front of over 1,000 fans.

Christopher Newport used a 13-2 run midway through the first half to take the team's biggest lead of the game, an eight-point edge at 21-13. Cherry finished out the run with a layup at the 10:45 minute mark, and then Biberaj made the lead eight again with a tough bank shot with 7:39 remaining in the first stanza.

After a pair of free-throws from Paul Meredith made the score 27-19 with 6:52 remaining, the Marlins ripped off a huge run to take control in the waning minutes of the first half. Virginia Wesleyan scored 18 of the next 20 points to take an eight-point lead of their own, 37-29, on a Donald Vaughn jumper with 2:33 remaining. The quick 16-point turnaround came in just 4:19 of game clock. VWC took a 42-36 lead into halftime.

Biberaj led the way in the first half, scoring 11 points and adding five blocked shots and three rebounds. Senior Conley Taylor chipped in 10 points in the first half on 4-of-8 shooting.

In the second half, the two teams traded baskets for much of the way, with Virginia Wesleyan taking a then-game-high lead of 13 points with 14:48 left in the game, 60-47. The Captains then put on a valiant comeback effort, with an 8-0 run to pull back within two possessions as 12:46 showed on the clock. CNU looked inside, getting six of the eight-point swing from the freshman big man Biberaj.

After a couple free-throws on the other end, Cherry knocked down the Captains' lone three-pointer of the game to get it back within five again, 64-59, and then minutes later, a layup from Taylor made it 66-61. That was as close as the comeback would get, though, as the Marlins held on to outscore CNU 23-13 in the final 9:26 for the end result, 89-74.

Biberaj poured in a career-high 21 points in the loss, after a 9-of-15 shooting performance. The Captains rookie added six blocks and six rebounds to lead the way, while classmate Mike Cherry had a game-high 26 points. Taylor rounded out the double figure scorers with 12 points, but had just two in the second half.

Virginia Wesleyan had five players in double figures, and outscored the Captains 23-4 on the fast break. Chris Astorga was 10-17 in the game for 25 points, and D.J. Woodmore added 22 points and six assists. The Marlins, selected as preseason number one in the national rankings, hit 8 three-pointers in the game.

The Captains return to action this Tuesday, January 31 as the second game of a conference doubleheader against N.C. Wesleyan. The game will tip at approximately 7:30 pm.