Williams tops Brandeis 71-57 to win Sectional and
Advance to Div. III Final Four in Salem, VA
WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – The Williams College Ephs (29-1) used clutch shooting, tough defense and near perfect foul shooting 9-10 down the stretch to down Brandeis 71-57 to advance to next Friday’s national semifinals in Salem, VA vs. Guilford College.
With the loss Brandies finishes the season at 22-7, while the
win secures a fifth trip to Salem for Williams. Williams extended
its school record in-season win streak to 20.
At 13:32 Terrell Hollins from the top of the key hit a streaking
Andre Roberson who scores and converts the traditional three-point
play giving the Judges a 44-41 lead.
After a layup attempt by Hollins got stuck between the rim and
the glass James Wang gave the Ephs a 46-44 lead on a drive down the
lane.
The Ephs tied it at 44 on a three ball from Schultz just to the
right of the top of the key.
Troy Whittington’s shot off a Wang miss is short and he follows it up to put Williams up 48-47 and at 8:59 he scores inside again making it 50-47.
The Judges’ Kenny Small was whistled for obstructing a Blake Schultz cut through the lane and Schultz makes both charity tosses Williams, 53-47, and the Ephs never relinquished the lead.
Brandeis’s Vytas Kriskus got a high friendly bounce on a long three and Kriskus then hit a 12-foot turnaround on the baseline to cut the Williams lead to 55-54.
The Ephs’ James Wang spun in the lane and made a shot over Tyrone Hughes 57-54 and then swished the free throw to give Williams a four-point lead, 58-54.
The Judges’ Terrell Hollins went to the line for two at 3:17 and he made one of two and trying to rebound his second shot miss he went over the back of the Ephs’ Nate Robertson. The Williams freshman drained both charity tosses to lift the Williams lead to five and the Chandler Gym crowd began to sense a trip to the Final Four was in the offing.
Two more free throws by Schultz and a Whittington put back gave Williams a 66-55 lead with 1:49 left. Williams closed the deal making five of six free throws down the stretch.
Schultz led the Ephs with 29 points, which included 10-10 from the foul line. Also in double figures for the Ephs were James Wang (18) and Troy Whittington (14). Whittington added four blocks and a team-high 10 rebounds. Andre Roberson (14) and Kenny Small (11) led the Judges in scoring, while Terrell Hollins gathered in aa game-high 13 rebounds.
Williams controlled the glass with 39 caronms to 27 for Brandeis.
To start the game Brandeis maximized its quickness and a Kenny Small jumper from the right corner gave the Judges an 11-6 lead. Brandeis then upped the lead to 15-9 as they scored five layups and got two free throws and a three from Kenny Small.
At 15:12 Williams got three back when James Wang nailed a three from the top of the key. A steal and a layup by Andre Roberson put the Judges up 19-12.
The Ephs Nate Roberston hit Ethan Timmins-Schiffman inside for a bunny to make the score 21-14 Brandeis and after a Miss by the Judges the Ephs got a Blake Schultz 12-footer to cut the Brandeis lead to five, 21-16 with exactly 10 minutes left in the half.
A technical foul was called on Brandeis’s Tyrone Hughes for something he said after a missed layup and the Ephs capitalized with Schultz making both free throws to make the score 22-18 Brandeis.
Schultz was back at it moments later when he drained a shot clock beater from 23 feet out on left cutting the Brandeis lead to one, 22-21 at 7:53.
A right hand layin by Whittington over Terrell Hollins at 5:38 cut the Brandeis lead to one at 25-24. The Judges were then victimized by a shot clock violation with 4:58 left in the half. The Ephs took the lead at 4:38 when Andre Roberson fouled Nate Roberson as he spun on the left side of the lane. Robertson drained both to give Williams a 26-25 lead.
Brandeis came up empty on their next trip down the floor and a James Wang a leaner over Hollins at 3:54 put the Ephs up 28-25.
Vytas Kriskus muscled in along the left baseline for two to get Brandeis within one at 28-27.
Off a pick and roll at the top of the key Schultz hit Geoghegan in the lane for al ay up 30-27 Williams.
Brandeis’s Kenny Small was fouled inside by Whittington and made one of two free throws keeping Williams up two 30-28.
Whittington kept alive a James Wang miss and then finished it off with a 10-foot turn around giving Williams a four point lead, 35-30.
Terrell Hollins powered down the lane for a layup just before the half ended making the score at the break Williams 35 and Brandeis 32.
Tyrone Hughes led Brandeis with 8 points and Hollins led the Judges on the glass with seven. The Ephs were led by Blake Schultz’s 12 and he was aided by 10 from Wang. Joe Geoghegan led Williams on the glass with 5 caroms.
Williams had 16 boards to the Judges 14 in the first 20 minutes. Brandeis hit 44% from the floor (11-25 and Williams made 13 of 28 (46.4%).
