Kurman Nets 1,000th; Shoremen Win Duel
CHESTERTOWN, Md. -- Garnet senior guard Matt Kurman turned a wintry Wednesday night into the best night of his collegiate career, pouring in a career-high 32 points, including the 1,000th of his career, as Swarthmore fell 94-91 to Washington (Md.) in a high-scoring Centennial Conference men's basketball game Wednesday night.
Both teams provided the brave fans that slogged through a late-afternoon snowstorm with a historic shooting display. Washington and Swarthmore combined to make 24 of 38 (63.2%) attempts from behind the three-point line, a Division III record for games with more than 20 attempts. The shooting performance (63.2%) from three-point range by both teams bested the old Division III record of 22-for-35 (62.9%) set by Simpson and Dubuque on February 22, 2003. Simpson shot 17-of-19 from deep in that game, the NCAA Division III record for a single team, while Dubuque was 5-for-16.
The Shoremen shot nearly 60% from the field to improve to 5-19 overall and 2-15 in the Conference. Swarthmore was almost as impressive, hitting 46.4% from the floor, falling to 6-18 overall and 2-15 in the Centennial.
Kurman (Rockville, Mary. / Walter Johnson) showed range from all over the floor, hitting 11-of-16 from the floor, including 7-of-9 from beyond the arc. He also contributed four steals and three assists. Three other Garnet players hit double figures—senior center Ian McCormick (Seattle, Wash. / University Prep) scored 18 points with a game-high nine rebounds, sophomore guard Matt Allen (Seattle, Wash. / Lakeside) dropped in 17 points, including a 5-of-6 effort from three-point land and Steve Wolf (Philadelphia, Pa. / Father Judge) added 11 points.
Washington guard Tim Kohlrus (Fairfax, Va. / Woodson) was the high-man for the Shoremen, hitting 11-of-15 from the field for 29 points to go along with six assists and seven rebounds.
Wolf tied the game for the fifth time at the start of the second half, sinking one of two from the free throw line to knot the score at 39-39.
Kohlrus blistered the Swarthmore defense with 10 points as Washington spurt off a 15-6 run in the first five minutes of the half. The Shoremen would extend out to a ten-point lead, 64-54, following a jumper by sophomore wing Andrew Chambers (Williamsport, Mary. / St. Maria Goretti).
A 7-0 run brought Swarthmore back within three points. Kurman pulled up in transition, swishing a three-pointer to make the score 64-61 with almost eleven minutes remaining.
The Swarthmore guards, Allen and Kurman, continued shooting the ball without a conscience. Allen canned two from the free throw line and then sank another three-pointer at 5:12 to keep it a three-point affair.
On the next Garnet possession, McCormick (left) grabbed an offensive rebound and kicked out to Kurman, who did not hesitate in nailing a 27-footer to tie the game at 79-all with just over four minutes to play.
A Washington three-pointer from the corner at 3:04 made it 85-79 and Allen showed little fear in sinking a three over the top of a ball screen at 2:50.
The Shoremen struggled from the line all night (converting just 8 of 16 attempts) yet came through in the final two mintutes, hitting 7-of-9 to keep the Garnet at bay.
Kurman was the catalyst early for Swarthmore, banking in a one-handed runner and then drilling a three-pointer from the top of the key at 17:40 for a 9-0 Garnet lead. Allen drilled a deep three of his own as Swarthmore jumped out to a 12-2 lead.
The hometown Shoremen used an 18-8 run to tie the game at 20-20 with a jumper from Bobby Klepacki (King of Prussia, Pa. / Upper Merion) at 10:17.
The score continued to go back and forth. Swarthmore opened up a six-point lead late in the first half after Allen dropped in one of his three triples in the half, making the score 33-27, Swarthmore. Washington used its own 7-0 spurt, grabbing a one-point lead, 35-34, after a pair of Todd Green (Ridgewood, N.J. / Ridgewood) free throws at 3:41. Scott Hampton’s jumper right before halftime sent the Shoremen into the lockerromo with the 39-38 lead.
Green led all scorers with 11 points while Allen registered nine points and Kurman eight points for Swarthmore. Both teams shot well in the first half with Washington hitting at a 57.7% clip and the Garnet successful on 46.7% of their attempts.
In the midst of the shooting exhibition, Kurman shone through. He popped in a deep three-pointer from the corner at 14:29 in the second half to hit 999 career points and then caught an alley-oop off an inbounds play, scoring the basket to become the 17th Garnet male to score points 1,000 and 1,001 of h
is career. Kurman was fouled on the play and converted the free throw.
The lunar eclipse present Wednesday night may have prompted the laundry list of accomplishments eclipsed by Kurman (right) on Wednesday night: The 32 points easily topped his previous best (23 points vs. Ferrum on Jan. 4). He is the first guard to pass 1,000 career points since David Pearce ’03. Kurman’s current total of 1,016 places him a tie for 15th all-time at Swarthmore with Greg Berlin ’80. The senior left-hander also inched up the list of top three-point shooters—his seven triples give him 158 in his career, passing Colin Convey ’97 for the fourth-most all-time. His four steals slid him into sole possession of fourth all-time with 108, passing Convey and Chris Casey ’07.
McCormick, not one to be left out of historic accomplishments this season, became the first Swarthmore male to accumulate 1,500 points and 700 rebounds in a career.
Swarthmore completes the 2007-08 season this Saturday, Feb. 23 when rival Haverford comes to Tarble Pavilion for a 4:00 p.m. Centennial contest. The Garnet men will honor their five seniors (captains Noam Fliegelman and Chris Nana-Sinkam, Kurman, McCormick and Wolf) prior to the tip. The Swarthmore warriors of yester-year hit the hardwood at 11:30 for the annual Alumni Game.
Click here for the full box score.
(thanks to Washington College Sports Information for contributing to the story)