Greensboro, N.C. (1/6/07) -- Allison Wheeler scored a team-high 14 points off the bench in Virginia Wesleyan College's balanced 65-55 basketball win at Guilford College Saturday. The Marlins improve to 10-3 overall and 7-1 in Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play with their fourth straight win and seventh in eight games. The Quakers drop to 6-6 overall, 5-2 in the ODAC, with their second loss in as many nights.

Wheeler, a 5-11 junior forward, contributed eight of her points in the second half. She often scored from close range and helped the guests outscore Guilford, 30-18, in the paint.

Sophomore Andrea Ushinski delivered 10 points in 18 foul-ridden minutes, including a key basket with 3:24 left in the game. The bucket raised Virginia Wesleyan's lead to 57-49 right after Guilford's Dionne Graham capped a 14-6 Quakers' burst that trimmed a 14-point deficit to six. Guilford could not mount another run as Ushinski and rookie Tonia Jones scored four points apiece in the final 3:24 for the Marlins.

Despite playing their second road game in less than 24 hours, Virginia Wesleyan made over 56 percent of its second-half field goals and had just 15 turnovers. The Marlins played 11 students for at least nine minutes, nine of whom scored four or more points. Virginia Wesleyan's bench outscored its Guilford counterparts, 38-9.

The Quakers' lone threat was sophomore forward Tracey Croner, who matched her career high with a game-best 26 points. She made 11-of-17 field goals, including two three-pointers, and added three rebounds and two assists.

Guilford hits the road for the first time since early December Tuesday (1/9) at league-rival Lynchburg. The Marlins host Hollins in a league tilt next Saturday (1/13) at 4:00 p.m.