Christopher Newport University

ASHLAND, Va. - Christopher Newport University fell to 1-1 Wednesday night, dropping a 78-47 decision at Randolph-Macon College in the first road game of the season for the second-ranked Captains. The game at Crenshaw Gymnasium was the opening game of the season for R-MC.

"They wanted this game more than we did, and it was obvious from the start," Head Coach Jarren Dyson said following the game. "Every team faces adversity, and it's how you handle it that matters. We didn't respond to it very well tonight, and we've got to use this as a learning experience that will make us a better team."

CNU jumped to a 13-8 lead seven minutes into the opening half, only to watch the seventh-ranked Yellow Jackets surge to a 12-point lead thanks to a 25-8 run over the next ten minutes. R-MC held a 38-26 advantage at the intermission, and then extended the lead to 54-27, using a 16-1 run over the first nine minutes of the second stanza to put the game away.

Senior point guard Tyson Henderson was the only Christopher Newport player to reach double digits, scoring 11 points. Fellow senior Ethan Ward led CNU with eight rebounds. Randolph-Macon was topped by a 22-point performance by Theo Antinori, one of four Yellow Jackets to reach double figures in the scoring column. 

The Captains were plagued by poor shooting (32 percent), turnovers (17), and were out-rebounded for the night, 43-35.

"When you play on the road, there are two key things you have to do to win," Dyson continued. "You have to limit your turnovers and win the battle on the boards. We didn't do either of those things tonight, and you see the result. I was impressed with the attitude in the locker room after the game, we all owned it, myself included, and we're ready to get back to practice to get ready for our next game on Saturday."

Wednesday's season opener for R-MC, in front of a boisterous crowd of 1,301, was the first time the Yellow Jackets have played since Christopher Newport and Randolph-Macon met in March at Crenshaw Gymnasium in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last season. The Captains prevailed in that game, 59-57, en route to the National Semifinals. 

The Captains will host Catholic University Saturday afternoon at the Freeman Center, with tip off scheduled for 4:00 p.m. The game will be the 400th men's basketball battle since the Captains began play in the Freeman Center in the 2000-2001 season. CNU is 337-62 all-time for a winning clip of almost 85 percent on their home court.

"Catholic is another good program, another NCAA Tournament team from last year," Dyson said. "They're well-coached and it will be another tough test for us."