Things Are Coming Up Swarthmore, Garnet Top Shoremen
SWARTHMORE, Pa. -- A Centennial men's basketball game lacking much of the luster given to other contests around the Conference, went from a low-scoring turnover party to another double-overtime classic in the rivalry between Swarthmore and Washington.
For the fourth time in seven years the two Centennial Conference rivals went to two extra periods, and just like the three previous times, Swarthmore (4-12, 1-8 CC) came away the victors.
Garnet center Ian McCormick controlled action in the post again, racking up another double-double and senior Matt Kurman added 16 points, as Swarthmore outlasted the Shoremen 93-87 at Tarble Pavilion Wednesday evening.
Washington sophomore Andrew Chambers tallied a career-high 33 points while junior Tim Kohlrus posted his own double-double with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Both teams struggled on the offensive end in the first ten minutes of the second half, but the lights began to change on the board around the 11-minute mark. Swarthmore freshman Ryan Carmichael hit a three from in front of the Swarthmore bench to put the home team up 41-38 and McCormick drilled a trey a minute later from the other side of the floor to give Swarthmore a 44-40 lead.
Chambers continued to give Swarthmore fits in and around the basket keeping the Shoremen close with 25 points after halftime.
Swarthmore sophomore guard Matt Allen nailed a three for a 55-48 lead at 6:50 to give Swarthmore some breathing room but the Shoremen used a quick 8-2 run to make it 57-56 Garnet at 6:00.
Carmichael again ripped the net-chords from beyond the arc at 5:08 to put the Garnet up 61-58 and then drilled another try at 3:32 for a six-point Swarthmore advantage. He got a loose up the wing as the Garnet broke the Shoremen press, completing a three-point play. Carmichael would finish the night with a career-high 14 point before fouling out in the first overtime.
Kohlrus made two free throws and a tough turn-around jumper. Chambers came up with a steal for the Shoremen and converted the lay-up to make the score 68-67 with 1:15 to play. Swarthmore brought the ball over halfcourt and after a timeout, McCormick went to the line. Unfortunately his was unable to hit on both attempts.
Kohlrus took the ball on Washington’s next possession and went right to the rim. His jump hook in the lane bounced around the rim three times before falling in, putting Washington up 69-68 with 46 seconds left.
McCormick was fouled again trying to make a move in the post. This time the senior hit one to tie the score at 69-all. The Shoremen ran the clock down to 10 seconds remaining and called a timeout. Washington guard Todd Green drove to the rim but his shot hit off the bottom of the rim and went out of bounds to Swarthmore with 2.2. A final desperation heave by McCormick fell short, sending Swarthmore to its fifth overtime game of the season and fourth in 19 days.
The offensive firepower continued in the first overtime. Chambers hit two free throws for the Shoremen on one end and Carmichael tipped his own miss to McCormick, who converted in the lane. Kohlrus made another difficult runner in lane to put Washington up, 73-71.
After an empty Swarthmore possession, McCormick made a block on one end and then finished a jump hook off the glass on the other to tie the score at 73-73.
After Chambers made one of two from the line for Washington, Swarthmore senior forward Steve Wolf put back his own miss to put Swarthmore ahead 75-74.
Shoremen guard James Restrepo made one of two to tie the game at 75 a side and after a McCormick miss, Chambers sank a running hook in traffic to put the visitors up 77-75.
Kurman forced the issue in traffic and was hacked on a drive. He sank a pair from the charity stripe to make it 78-77—Kurman would finish the night 11 of 12 from the line.
Kohlrus got fouled on Washington’s next possession with 31.2 left, missing the first and while hitting the second. The score read 79-77 Washington.
A fade-away jumper Wolf was off the mark on the Swarthmore end, but sophomore forward Matt Turner came soaring through for the tip-in to tie the game, 79-79. Washington set up for a Kohlrus to go one-on-one, but his deep three-point attempt was off its mark and the teams went to another five-minute showdown.
The second overtime contrasted with its predecessor as both teams went without any points until Wolf dropped in a jump hook at 2:39. The Garnet offense started clicking: Kurman curled off a ball-screen at 1:50 and sank an elbow jumper for a three-point Swarthmore lead and Turner drilled a three-pointer with the shot clock winding down to seal the win for the Garnet.
It was McCormick’s eighth double-double of the season. He tied his career-high for rebounds (set almost a year to the day at Washington) while also posting four steals and three blocks. Wolf finished with 10 points and nine rebounds while Allen set a new career-high with nine assists (the most handed out by a Garnet male this season).
The Garnet enjoyed a 55-43 rebounding edge while the Shoremen countered by forcing 27 Swarthmore turnovers while committing only 12. It was no surprise as Washington (4-12, 1-8 CC) entered the contest tops in the Centennial with a 3.33 turnover margin on the season.
The teams raced up and down the court in the opening five minutes, with each team struggling to connect on long passes (nine turnovers total).
Back to back lay-ups by Swarthmore junior forward Raul Ordonez put the hometown team up 9-6 at the 13:15 mark. Swarthmore continued to assume an inside presence as McCormick got consecutive lay-ins for a 13-9 advantage at 12:35.
Washington guard Alan Kines found the range from outside, nailing a pair of triples to give the Shoremen their first lead, 15-14, at 10:22.
The game broke down to the Shoremen’s Phoenix Suns-style offense vs. Swarthmore’s post game, led by McCormick (13 pts, 11 boards in the first half). The Shoremen succeeded in picking up 10 points of 13 Garnet first-half turnovers.
Kurman nailed a triple with two minutes to go, putting the Garnet back ahead 27-26, and Turner completed an old-fashioned three-point play to send Swarthmore into the locker room with a 30-26 lead.
The Garnet will be on the road for their next three games, traveling to Centennial-leader Ursinus this Saturday, January 26 for a 3:00 p.m. contest. From there, the Garnet will travel to long-time rival Haverford (Jan. 26) and Franklin & Marshall (Jan. 30) for more Centennial action.
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