Eastern Mennonite University 74, Whitworth University 71 – NCAA DIII Regional

EASTERN MENNONITE SNAPS WHITWORTH’S NATION-LEADING WIN STREAK IN 74-71 NCAA SECTIONAL VICTORY

Greensboro, N.C. (3/12/10) — No. 10-ranked Eastern Mennonite University (Va.) snapped No. 4 Whitworth University’s (Wash.) nation-leading 25-game win streak en route to a 74-71 victory in the third round (sectional) of the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship March 12.

The Royals (25-4) survived a final-minute rally by the Pirates (26-3) to advance to the sectional final March 13 against either No. 3 Guilford College or No. 17 Wooster College (Ohio). The host Quakers met the Scots in the second game Friday evening.

Eastern Mennonite led 71-63 on D.J. Hinson’s three-pointer from the top of the key with 1:09 left. But Whitworth’s Bo Gregg, who picked up his fourth foul at the 17-minute mark, answered with a trey with 56 seconds remaining.

The Royals missed 3 of their next 4 free throws and the Pirates’ Clay Gebbers hit a layup and sank a free throw to pull his squad within 72-71 with :28.7 left. EMU’s Hinson missed a pair at the line with :25.5 remaining, but Whitworth missed the opportunity to retake the lead when it turned the ball over on its next possession.

George Johnson hit two free throws with :13.1 left to give the Royals the 74-71 edge and Gregg and Nate Montgomery missed three-point tries at the other end for the Pirates and time expired.

Whitworth, which lost its first and third games of the season before winning 25 straight, led by as many as 10 points in the first half and 39-37 at the break. EMU closed the gap on a 13-5 run to finish the half.

Todd Phillips led EMU with 17 points and Hinson added 16. Eli Crawford had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Johnson had 14 points.

Gregg had a game-high 22 points for Whitworth, which had not lost since Dec. 4. Montgomery added 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Riley had 15 points and Eric Beal 10.

Newspaper Box Score
Whitworth vs Eastern Mennonite
03/12/10 6:00 p.m. at Greensboro, NC – Ragan-Brown Field House At Greensboro, NC
EASTERN MENNONITE 74, WHITWORTH 71

WHITWORTH (26-3) GREGG, Bo 7-14 1-2 22; MONTGOMERY, Nate 5-12 6-6 16; RILEY, David 5-13 3-7 15; BEAL, Eric 3-9 4-5 10; GEBBERS, Wade 1-5 0-0 3; GEBBERS, Clay 1-3 1-1 3; FRIEDT, Felix 0-1 2-2 2; LOOFBURROW, Jack 0-5 0-0 0; IDDINS, Ben 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-62 17-23 71.

EASTERN MENNONITE (25-4) PHILLIPS, Todd 4-11 8-12 17; HINSON, D.J. 5-9 2-8 16; CRAWFORD, Eli 5-10 4-5 15; JOHNSON, George 4-9 2-2 14; PANCIONE, Orie 1-3 4-6 6; THORNE, Andrew 1-2 0-0 2; LONGACRE, Owen 1-4 0-0 2; HOLLORAN, Luke 1-1 0-0 2; HARRISON, Martin 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 22-51 20-33 74.

Whitworth………………… 39 32 – 71
Eastern Mennonite…………. 37 37 – 74

3-point goals–Whitworth 10-33 (GREGG, Bo 7-13; RILEY, David 2-9; GEBBERS, Wade 1-3; GEBBERS, Clay 0-1; LOOFBURROW, Jack 0-3; BEAL, Eric 0-3; MONTGOMERY, Nate 0-1), Eastern Mennonite 10-23 (JOHNSON, George 4-7; HINSON, D.J. 4-8; CRAWFORD, Eli 1-3; PHILLIPS, Todd 1-2; HARRISON, Martin 0-1; THORNE, Andrew 0-1; PANCIONE, Orie 0-1).
Fouled out–Whitworth-RILEY, David; GEBBERS, Clay, Eastern Mennonite-PANCIONE, Orie. Rebounds–Whitworth 38 (MONTGOMERY, Nate 13), Eastern Mennonite 38 (CRAWFORD, Eli 10).
Assists–Whitworth 12 (BEAL, Eric 5), Eastern Mennonite 13 (CRAWFORD, Eli 4).
Total fouls–Whitworth 26, Eastern Mennonite 21.
Technical fouls–Whitworth-None, Eastern Mennonite-None.