Managing Editor
Following tonight’s 81-79 loss against Clark University, the Springfield College men’s basketball team fell to 15-9. and 6-5 in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference.
Once again late-game woes toppled the Pride. The Pride dropped another tough one at the buzzer, but to make matters worse this was in double overtime.
Clark guard Travis Curley was a thorn in the Pride’s side all night long. He went for 26 points, and none were bigger than his buzzer beater in double overtime to hand Springfield its second straight loss.
Seconds earlier, Springfield junior Alex Berthiaume tied the game with a three.
The Pride were up late in the first overtime, but Curley drained a three-pointer with one second left to force another overtime.
SC senior guard Jordan Rote started the dramatics by tying the game with a three of his own with only seconds remaining in regulation.
Berthiaume’s game-high 34 points was not enough to get Springfield the 16th win of the season.
Springfield College hopes to regroup on Saturday and end the regular season on a high note The Pride tip-off at home against Wheaton to close out the 2011-2012 regular season campaign.
As of Wednesday night, Springfield is two games ahead of Wheaton (4-7) for third place in the NEWMAC standings at 6-5 in the conference.
MIT (11-1) has locked up the number one seed and will host this year’s NEWMAC championships. WPI (7-4) sits in second.
As of right now, Springfield is set to take on the WPI Engineers as either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed. Babson, Wheaton and Clark are in a shuffle for the No. 4 and 5 seeds in the conference. Whatever two teams survive as the No. 4 and 5 seeds will play for the right to take on MIT in the NEWMAC semis.
Throughout the course of this season, we can determine one thing: No one is a lock for the championship. Despite a22-1 overall record and the No. 3 ranking on D3hoops.com, the Engineers are beatable.
WPI handed MIT its lone loss, 80-68, back on Jan. 21. Springfield was a possession away from beating MIT two weeks ago and nearly beat them earlier in the season as well.
What makes MIT so dangerous is the balancing scoring attacked led by senior center Noel Hollingsworth (17.0 ppg). Right behind Hollingworth are senior Jamie Karraker (13.9 ppg), junior Mitchell Kates (12.6) and junior Will Tashman (11.2).
Springfield has relied on its defense all year, something head coach Charlie Brock and his team have had to lean on, on nights when the ball just doesn’t find the net.
There’s also the added factor that seniors Ryan Coburn and Evan Christner, the only four-year players on this year’s squad, have never beaten MIT.
With the help of some new faces on this year’s team, what better time to pick up the first win then in the NEWMAC Championship game.
Corey Hanlon may be reached at chanlon@springfieldcollege.edu