University of St. Thomas Athletics
Gustavus Adolphus
Playoff Three-Peat: Men's Hoops tops Gusties, 76-73
3/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Sophomore guard Joe Scott scored 18 points, including a go-ahead 3-point basket with 1:16 to play, to lead the host and top-seed Tommies past second-seed Gustavus 76-73 in Saturday night's MIAC men's basketball playoff title game before a lively crowd of 1,800 at UST's Schoenecker Arena.
No. 21-ranked St. Thomas (22-4), now 12-0 at home, has won 13 of its last 14. UST shot 53% from the field and helped forced 16 Gustie turnovers as it won the conference playoff title for the eighth time overall and third year in a row. But it was a 40-minute battle as expected -- the intense game featured 16 ties and 27 lead changes.
Coach Steve Fritz' Tommies ran their home-court win streak vs. conference foes to 34 and will advance to the NCAA playoffs for the fifth time in eight seasons. It's the fourth time one team has won three consecutive MIAC playoff championships -- the Tommies did it from 1993-95 and Gustavus did it twice after that.
Gustavus had won all five previous meetings with UST in the conference men's basketball playoff title games.
Senior forward Kane Sivesand led the Gusties (19-8) with 18 points. Gustavus' leading scorer, senior forward Trevor Wittwer, was in foul trouble and played just 14 minutes. He scored 11 points before fouling out with 3:10 to play. Gustavus outrebounded UST 36-31 and shot 44% from the field but lost for the sixth time in a row over five seasons at Schoenecker Arena.
Junior center Al McCoy made 6-of-7 shots from the field and 5-of-5 from the line. His 17 points off the bench to help the Toms post a 41-22 advantage in bench scoring. Sophomore center Sam Eicher chipped in 13 points with 6-of-7 shooting off the bench.
McCoy made two free throws with 58 seconds left to push the lead to 75-71, and also had a key defensive rebound in the final 20 seconds.
After Andrew Doble's basket with 40 seconds left cut the margin to 75-73, Gustavus had a steal, but missed a game-tying shot, and McCoy got the rebound. Tyler Nicolai was fouled and made one of two free throws with 17 seconds to go for a three-point cushion.
The Gusties had a chance to force overtime but missed a 3-pointer with :05 left and the rebound went out of bounds.
Click here for box score:
http://www.tommiesports.com/mbb/stats/3-1-mbb.htm
St. Thomas students had tense moments but a happy ending. (Mike Ekern photos)
Lonnie Robinson has been a part of 11 of a possible 12 MIAC playoff and regular-season championships in baseball and basketball. (Mike Ekern photo)
Teddy Archer helped the Toms post a bench-scoring advantage. (Mike Ekern photo)
Junior Brett Tuma has been a part of six UST titles in playoffs and regular season. (Mike Ekern photo)
Coach Steve Fritz won his eigth MIAC basketball playoff title. (Mike Ekern photo)
