Matty K Does It Again!
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - Junior guard Matt Kurman hit his second game-winning jump shot in as many games, this one coming with 11.8 seconds remaining to pull host Swarthmore over visiting Haverford, 51-50, Wednesday evening in Centennial Conference men's basketball action. Classmate Ian McCormick led all players with a season-high 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the floor and 12 rebounds.
The Garnet (7-9 overall, 4-5 CC) run its win streak to three straight over the Fords--the best run since 1996-97.
Swarthmore jumped out to a 16-8 lead eight and a half minutes into the game on a layup by junior guard Noam Fliegelman. Haverford sophomore Matt Stitt pulled the Fords back within five points, 16-11, after draining a three-pointer, but an 8-0 run over the next four minutes extended the Garnet's lead to 13 points, 24-11, with 6:17 left in the half. Haverford was able to cut its deficit down to nine points at halftime, 31-22. With Brown picking up two early fouls, Swarthmore was able to outscore Haverford by a 14-4 margin in the paint in the half.
Haverford roared back into the game after the halftime break. The Fords opened the second half with a 9-2 run over the first 5:48 to pull within 33-32. Sophomore guard Greg Rosnick hit a three-pointer with 13:20 remaining to pull the Fords even with the Garnet, 35-35. Sophomore forward Ben McDowell hit a three-pointer to give the Fords their first lead of the game, 40-38, midway through the second half.
With 2:00 to go, Brown hit a turnaround jumper in the paint to put the Fords up 50-49. Swarthmore junior Ian McCormick missed the front end of a one and one to give Haverford the ball back with 1:20 to play. With the shot clock winding down, senior guard Mike Fratangelo missed a three-pointer, but followed up his shot and pulled down the rebound. After Haverford used up the reset shot clock, McDowell missed a three-pointer. Sophomore forward Brent Anderson grabbed another offensive rebound for Haverford. With 24.2 seconds left, Rosnick was fouled but missed the front end of the one and one. McCormick grabbed the rebound, and with 11.8 seconds left on the clock Kurman nailed the game-winning jumper from the top of the circle, leading Swarthmore to the 51-50 win.
McCormick has now tallied six double-doubles on the season. Kurman finished the game with 12 points for Swarthmore--the junior.
Senior forward Ray Brown registered a team-high 15 points and seven rebounds in only 23 minutes in the losing effort for the Fords.
Both teams grabbed 31 rebounds in the game. Haverford committed only ten turnovers to Swarthmore's 16. The Fords shot 37.3% in the game to the Garnet's 46.3%.
Swarthmore (7-9, 4-5) hosts defending Centennial Champion Ursinus on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 4:00 p.m.