Box Score

Williams WILLIAMS 23-6

Whitman WHITMAN 28-2

Williams WILLIAMS

23-6

Final

Mar. 08, 2019

Whitman WHITMAN

28-2

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	F
Williams WILLIAMS	46	38	84
Whitman WHITMAN	38	43	81

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | 3/8/2019 6:21:00 PM

Men's Basketball Falls To Williams In NCAA Sweet 16

VIDEO: Postgame Press Conference

CLINTON, N.Y. - Sometimes the shots just don't fall, and for one of the top scoring teams in the nation that can spell trouble. Austin Butler clawed his way to a near triple double in what proved to be his last game in a Blues uniform, but it wasn't enough as the No. 2 Whitman College men's basketball team was upset by No. 19 Williams College 84-81 in the NCAA Tournament sectional semifinal on Friday night.

Coach Eric Bridgeland, told his team in the locker room and reporters at the postgame press conference that he never saw a team compete harder than the Blues did tonight. The words certainly were not coach speak. Competing against the top defensive rebounding team in the nation, an undersized Whitman team dominated the offensive glass with an 18-3 rebounding advantage and nearly matched Williams in points in the paint (42-34).

The loss closes the chapter, but not the book, on the lasting legacy of the NCAA's Division III all-time winningest four-year senior class of Butler, Joey Hewitt, Jack Stewart and Cedric Jacobs-Jones whose impact on Whitman basketball will never be forgotten.

Butler's 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists proved not be enough to overcome a poor Whitman shooting night (39%), and even more so a scorching 67% shooting from the floor by the Ephs. Stewart equaled Butler with a team-high 18 points, Darne Duckett scored 12 and Joey Hewitt added 10 more.

Williams, who now moves on to Saturday's Elite 8 matchup, was led by Kyle Scadlock's 15 points and Michael Kempton's 10 rebounds off the bench.

Waiting all game for the inevitable run, the Blues did not disappoint. Trailing by 12 with 5:10 to play, Whitman reeled off nine unanswered points, spearheaded by a Stewart three pointer and back-to-back buckets from Andrew Vickers to cut the lead to 77-74 with 3:18 to play. Then, with just under a minute to play, Trevor Osborne nailed a three pointer to whittle the Eph lead all the way down to one point. The Blues would be unable to find the bucket again until a meaningless tap in as time expired, and Williams walked away with the win.

Both teams teams played to their strengths early. Whitman pushed the pace and connected from distance while the Ephs were finding their bigs in the paint leading to easy buckets at the cup.

Duckett and Stewart later hit from distance with Duckett also going baseline, scoring at the cup, to put the Blues up 8-5 just over two minutes into the game. Williams responded with a pair of fastbreak layups to snatch the lead back at 11-10. Bobby Casey's steal and fast break layup, and Matt Karpowicz's dunk grabbed the lead back.

The Ephs would go up five points but Whitman responded with a 7-2 run to retake the lead. Hewitt started the spurt with a triple then JoJo Wiggins, freshly inserted off the bench, matched the Eph size and was able muscle his way to consecutive baskets. The Blues would be unable to make another big run before the half and headed to the locker room down 46-38.

#GoWhitman

Print Friendly Version