Greensboro, N.C. (01/13/08) -- Reigning NCAA Division III Player of the Year Ben Strong totalled 23 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks, all game highs, in Guilford College's 85-69 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) basketball win over visiting Virginia Wesleyan College Sunday afternoon. Sophomore teammate Clay Henson added 22 points as Guilford stopped an eight-game losing skid to the Marlins that dated to 2005.

Guilford (8-3, 3-1 ODAC) is ranked 11th in this week's D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll and has won seven of its last nine games. The Marlins (8-3, 2-2 ODAC) are ranked 17th in the same poll and had a five-game winning streak end with the setback.

Strong scored 15 second-half points, including six during an important 7-2 Guilford run that turned a six-point Quakers' lead into an 11-point spread with 6:15 left in regulation. The Marlins drew to within 72-64 on a Tyler Fantin bucket with 3:52 to play, but no closer. Guilford made 11-of-12 free throws in the final 4:10 to close out the win and shot 26-of-29 (89.7%) from the foul line for the game.

Guilford senior Caleb Kimbrough had a season-high 13 points and four assists. He made three first-half three-pointers that helped the Quakers score the game's first 11 points and take a 37-34 halftime lead. Rookie Martin Stephenson (Cary, N.C./Cary) scored six points and had a career-high six rebounds in his second college start. He and Henson opened the second half with consecutive three-pointers followed by a Strong tip-in that formed an 8-0 Guilford run. Henson scored 14 second-half points and made a game-high five three-pointers.

Fantin led four Marlins in double-figure scoring with 19 points. Sophomore reserve Stephen Fields scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half and contributed seven rebounds and four assists, both team highs. Senior guard D'Juan Tucker finished with 14 points and junior Norman Hassell added 11 in 18 foul-plagued minutes. Preseason All-American guard Tonton Balenga, who entered the game as the Marlins' leading scorer at 18.0 points per game, also ran into foul trouble and did not score for the first time this season.

Guilford returns to action Wednesday (1/16) at league-rival Roanoke College at 7:00 p.m. Virginia Wesleyan hosts Hampden-Sydney College Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in another important ODAC game.