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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University faces a tough early-season challenge Wednesday night when the second-ranked Captains travel to Ashland, Va., to take on seventh-ranked Randolph-Macon College. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Crenshaw Gymnasium. The Captains are 1-0 to start the season following a 97-59 victory over Penn State Altoona on Saturday night at the Freeman Center. The Yellow Jackets will be playing for the first time to start the 2026-2027 campaign.
"It's always a great test when you play a program like Randolph-Macon," first-year Head Coach
Jarren Dyson said. "Josh Merkel is certainly one of the best coaches in Division III, and they've established themselves as a power year in and year out. We're going to have to defend well, share the ball, and execute at a high level to win the game."
In CNU's debut on Saturday, senior
Toa Hollenbeck led the way with 16 points, and fellow seniors
Isaiah Dozier and
Zyir Baskerville also reached double digits with ten points each. Christopher Newport never trailed in the game and held a 46-30 margin at halftime. CNU stretched the advantage to as many as 39 in the second half on the way to the 38-point final decision.
The Captains shot the ball well on opening night, knocking down 37 of 69 attempts (54 percent), and also made 12 of 27 three-point shots (44 percent). Christopher Newport held Penn State Altoona to just 30 percent shooting for the night (21 of 70), and the Lions converted just seven of 23 long-range attempts (also 30 percent). CNU out-rebounded the Lions, 51-37, with junior
Luka Matic leading on the glass with eight boards in ten minutes of playing time. The Captains also rejected 12 Lions shots, with senior
Ethan Ward recording three blocks to go with eight points and six rebounds.
The Yellow Jackets, meanwhile, will be opening their season against the Captains, and are coming off a 27-4 record last year. R-MC advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, falling to the Captains at Crenshaw Gymnasium on March 13th, 59-57. The schools have now met 35 times, with Randolph-Macon holding a 22-13 lead in the all-time series. The first nine games in the all-time series were played when the Yellow Jackets were a Division II member, with all nine won by R-MC. In games since Randolph-Macon has been a member of Division III, the series is tied 13-13.
Christopher Newport games are broadcast live on the Home of the Captains, Xtra 99.1 FM and CNUsports.com. The pre-game show Wednesday night will begin at 6:40 p.m. You can listen to the action by clicking on the link provided above to the CNU Radio broadcast. Links are also provided at the top of this story to watch the game online (with subscription only), and also to view the live stats. Complete game notes and ticket information links are also provided.
Following Wednesday's game, the Captains return to the Freeman Center for the 400th all-time game there, a late afternoon contest on Saturday. CNU will host Catholic, with tip off set for 4:00 p.m.
