Swarthmore Upsets First-Place Gettysburg 58-51
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - For the second-consecutive season, the Swarthmore College men's basketball team (4-13, 3-7) has stunned the Centennial Conference with an upset of Gettysburg College in Tarble Pavilion.
Freshman Will Gates recorded a double-double with a game-high 22 points and11 rebounds while fellow freshman Jordan Martinez added 12 points and six assists as the Garnet upset the first-place Bullets 58-51 on Saturday afternoon.
Gates connected on 5-of-8 three-pointers in the win over Gettysburg.
With the win, the Garnet have now eclipsed last season's win total (3) as well as conference win total (2).
Just like in its upset of Ursinus earlier in the season, Swarthmore used a slow-down offense and complex zone defense to confuse the Bullets (9-7, 7-3) all game long. Swat also played one of its most efficient games of the season, connecting on 8-of-16 three-pointers, sinking 18-of-24 free-throws and committing a season-low seven turnovers. The defense also played a critical role in the win, holding the Bullets to an opponent season-low 51 points and 35 percent shooting.
Thanks in part to nine first-half points from Gates, seven from senior captain Matt Allen and a defense that puzzled the Bullets' offense, the Garnet found themselves up 24-21 heading into the second half. However, the Bullets scored the first five points of the second stanza - highlighted by an alley-oop dunk from Gettysburg's Alex Zorn - to take the lead back from the Garnet at 26-24.
From that point, the Bullets would maintain a slim 3-to-5 point lead until around the 8:00 mark, when Swat came back to life and took control of the game. Junior forward Ryan Carmichael connected on a three-pointer at the 7:12 to give the Swat the lead back at 42-40 - its first since the opening minute of the half.
Free throws from Martinez and Carmichael took the lead up to 49-44, but Gettysburg's Andrew Powers - the Centennial Conference's leading scorer - had an answer, as his jumper from the top of the key with 1:49 remaining made it a one possession game at 49-46.
On the ensuing Swat possession, Gates delivered one of the biggest shots of his young career, nailing a three-pointer from the right wing as the seconds on the shot clock ticked down, giving Swarthmore a 52-46 lead with 1:16 remaining, sending the Tarble Pavilion crowd into a frenzy.
With the crowd on its feet, junior Sam Lacy gave the fans even more to cheer about on the next possession, as he caused a Gettysburg turnover with his third charge of the game - almost deflating any hopes for a Bullet comeback with only 1:04 remaining in the game.
From there, Swat finished the deal at the line, going 6-of-8 down the stretch to earn the 58-51 win over the Bullets.
Carmichael finished with nine points for the Garnet, while Allen tallied eight. Gates finished 5-of-8 from behind the arc while earning his second career double-double.
Powers led the Bullets with 14 points, while Christian Bors had 10 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
The Garnet are now 3-3 at Tarble Pavilion this season.
Last season, the then 1-20 Garnet - who were riding an 18-game losing skid at the time - stunned the eventual Centennial Champion Bullets 57-53 from Tarble Pavilion.
The Garnet will look to make it three of four when it hosts McDaniel on Wednesday. Action is slated to begin at 7:00 p.m.