BRIDGEWATER, Va. – No. 18 Virginia Wesleyan stretched the lead late in the game Saturday afternoon to turn back the Bridgewater College Eagles, 88-76, in ODAC basketball action.

The Marlins came out of the locker room on fire, hitting 5-of-8 3-point attempts in the first 10 minutes of the game to race out to a 23-3 lead.

Bridgewater's Davrion Grier and the Marlins' Daniel Spencer then traded 3-pointers as the lead stayed at 20 points, 26-6.

The Eagles found their offense and ran off 14 straight points to get back in the game. Will Bowser ignited the run with a 3-pointer and Grier added a layup, making the score 26-11. Jalil Langston worked inside and converted a 3-point play and Monte Simpkins scored after grabbing an offensive rebound to pull the Eagles to within 10 points. Bowser drove the lane for a bucket and Simpkins added another inside bucket to trim the Marlins' lead to 26-20 with 4:47 left in the half.

The Marlins stretched the margin to nine before layups by Chandler and Grier pulled the Eagles closer at 29-24. The Eagles inched closer when a 3-pointer by Murray with 2:32 left in the half shaved the Marlins' lead to 33-29.

The Marlins rattled off six straight points to push the margin back to double digits, but Murray connected again from long range, pulling the Eagles to within seven, 39-32. A jumper by Corey Pelham added to the Marlins lead, but Bowser scored on a driving layup to send the Eagles to the half trailing by just seven, 41-34.

Bridgewater got as close at three points early in the second half. A layup by Cameron Williams trimmed the Marlins lead to 47-44. Virginia Wesleyan's Jordan Crump and Bridgewater's Grier traded 3-pointers to keep the margin at three points, 50-47, with 15:13 left in the game.

Virginia Wesleyan stretched its lead back to 13 points, but the Eagles had another run remaining. Trailing 66-53, Bridgewater scored seven straight points to cut the margin down to six points. Murray scored all seven points for the Eagles, making the score 66-60 with 6:29 left to play.

The Marlins responded with a 10-0 spurt to push the lead to 76-60 and they led by double figures the rest of the way.

Murray had his second straight 30-point outburst of the week. After scoring 33 points Wednesday night at Shenandoah, Murray added 30 points on 11-of-22 shooting. He made 7-of-10 3-point attempts. Grier added a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds and Bowser finished with 10 points.

Spencer paced the Marlins with 23 points and Pelham added 19.

Bridgewater (6-12, 2-7 in the ODAC) returns to action Wednesday night as part of a doubleheader against rival Eastern Mennonite. The men's game starts at 5:00 p.m. and will be followed by the Eagles women's team vs. EMU.