The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Spartans fend off Fighting Squirrels
The Case Western Reserve Spartans will testify to the importance of men’s college basketball games being comprised of two halves.
Regaining their form after a sub-par first half, the host Spartans gathered themselves in the second half and rolled to a 66-51 victory March 1 over Mary Baldwin University (Va.) in an NCAA Division III firstround game at Horsburgh Gymnasium.
CWRU improved to 21-5 and advanced to a second-round match-up March 2 on their home floor against Hope College (Mich.).
The Flying Dutchmen were 95-79 winners over Anderson University (Ind.) in the other first-round game.
“We made enough plays in the second half to get the win,” CWRU coach Todd McGuinness said.
Graduate forward Colin Kahl finished with gamehigh totals of 20 points and eight rebounds for the Spartans. Junior guard Sam Trunley added 15 points and seven rebounds.
Graduate guard Anthony Mazzeo chipped in with 11 points, five rebounds and four assists.
With their offense struggling mightily to find its rhythm, the Spartans leaned on tenacious defense to build a 37-15 halftime lead.
The Fighting Squirrels were 6-of-31 (19.4 percent) overall from the field and 1-of-14 from 3-point range. They were held scoreless for eight minutes, falling behind 25-9, before closing the gap in the closing minutes.
CWRU didn’t take full advantage of the defensive proficiency. The Spartans were 12-of-32 (37.5 percent) from the field while making only two of 16 attempted 3-pointers.
The Spartans were much better offensively in the second
THE SCORE CWRU 66, MARY BALDWIN 51
half, shooting 51.9 percent from the field, They decisively won the rebounding battle for the game, 44-25.
“In this tournament, games can be won with defense and rebounding,” McGuinness said.
Mary Baldwin, formerly a women’s college with a men’s basketball program in only its third season, finished at 17-11.
The Fighting Squirrels secured an automatic bid to the tournament by capturing the USA South Athletic Conference tournament title.