This past weekend's NESCAC men's basketball tournament was not the most thrilling in recent memory. Only two out of the seven contests were decided within single−digits. Three of the four quarterfinal games were won by at least 20 points. And with the exception of the championship game, there were no upsets. But for a Middlebury squad that had one goal in mind, the results of the weekend were very exciting.
A blowout victory over Conn. College on Friday, a comeback over Amherst on Saturday and a triumphant Sunday performance in the title game gave the Panthers their second NESCAC title in the past three seasons.
Sunday's matchup was bound to be tough for the Panthers, who were tasked with leaving the friendly confines of their home gym to take on Williams, the top−ranked team in the nation. The Ephs entered Sunday's contest with a 34−game home−win streak and a 9−0 record against NESCAC opponents.
But Middlebury — riding high following a win against Amherst on Saturday — was eager to get another shot at Williams, which handed the Panthers their first loss on Jan. 29. In that game, Middlebury played without its leading scorer, junior forward Ryan Sharry, who was sidelined with an injury. This time, the Panthers jumped out early and rode sophomore guard Nolan Thompson's 15 points to a 63−54 victory.
"I was definitely very excited today to get a shot at Williams," Sharry said. "Missing that game was tough during the season, but the team played great, and I was just happy to be able to be out there today and contribute to this win. It's a great accomplishment for our team and our school."
After dismissing Conn. College in a 61−41 blowout on Friday, the Panthers turned to their next challenge: a rematch of the Feb. 11 contest against Amherst, in which the the Lord Jeffs earned their first loss of the season. Amherst, eager to avenge its previous letdown inside Pepin Gym, came out hot, hitting 48 percent of its field goals in the first 20 minutes of play while breaking out for an 18−point cushion.
The Panthers managed to trim the margin back down to 14 by halftime, and continued to chip away at the Lord Jeffs' lead throughout the second half. On Sharry's shoulders, the Panthers tied Amherst with 1:49 to play before taking the lead for good on a layup with just over a minute left. Meanwhile, Amherst went cold from the field down the stretch; they were unable to score during the final 3:08. Sharry posted a double−double in 26 minutes on the floor for the Panthers, scoring 15 points and grabbing 13 boards.
"It was a great win for us; there's no doubt about it," Middlebury coach Jeff Brown said. "They did a great job of taking our fans out of the mix in the first half, but once a few bounces started to go our way in the second half, the building got louder and all the momentum seemed to be on our side."
Fortunately for the Panthers, Friday night's game against Conn. College (12−13), which had had only recorded three wins against NESCAC opponents all season, was a breeze, and left them energized for the semis on Saturday.
With senior center Andrew Locke out of the lineup, Middlebury relied on solid contributions from the bench to dismantle the Camels.
Freshman guard Joey Kizel and forward James Jensen combined for 20 points on 8−of−12 shooting. Meanwhile, the Camels shot a putrid 2−for−18 from beyond the arc and were held to 22.2 percent shooting overall. On top 10−9 with 16:20 to play in the first half, Middlebury utilized a 9−0 run to pull away for good, ultimately securing a 61−41 victory.
While the team was thrilled to secure only the second NESCAC Championship in school history, they know there is still work left to be done. Brown, now in his 14th season with the program, believes this is the best team he has ever coached.
"These guys have been incredibly consistent," he said. "Our one loss came against one of the best teams in the nation in a game when we were without our leading scorer."
The Panthers' 25 wins this season were enough to secure a first−round bye in the NCAA Tournament, which begins this Thursday. Middlebury will host a second−round matchup on Saturday against the winner of the Salve Regina and Western Connecticut game.
The Panthers have only one NCAA tournament victory in school history, a win they earned last year at home. Brown, however, isn't fazed by the team's general lack of success this time of year.
"A big part of this team's makeup is our ability to play well on the road and compose ourselves in hostile environments," Brown said. "Our goal is to take it one game at a time and try to gain some momentum. Hopefully, we'll find ourselves playing in the final weekend of the season."
