VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. -- Senior Eric Joe scored 18 points and sophomore Isaih Harrison added 16 points and 10 rebounds as the Apprentice School fell to 25th-ranked Virginia Wesleyan 69-55 on Monday night.
The Marlins jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the first 5:15 before the Builders responded with a 9-0 run over a 2:47 span to cut the deficit to 12-11 on a Tevin Andrews jumper with 11:58 left. VWC (9-1) pushed the lead back up to eight points on the strength of an 8-0 spurt later in the half capped on a Stephen Fields 3-pointer to lead 28-20 with 3:45 left.
In the second half, the Marlins opened with an 11-3 run to push the lead to 48-32 on an Ed Roberts 3-pointer with 15:37 left. The Builders cut the deficit eventually down to 61-55 on a Joe 3-pointer with 2:03 left. That proved to be the final points for the Builders in the contest.
Fields topped the Marlins in scoring with 22 points, followed by Donald Vaughn with 15 and Roberts added 11.
The Builders now hit Florida for a pair of NAIA Division II opponents this weekend starting with Johnson & Wales on Friday night at 6 pm in Miami.