No. 2 Men's Basketball Shuts The Door On Philadelphia, 73-51, In First Round Of NCAA Tournament
Box Score
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (March 14, 2009) – Senior guard
Jonathan Schmidt (Centereach, N.Y.) scored a game-high 25 points and senior guard
Nick Carter (Huntington Station, N.Y.) registered a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds as second-ranked and top-seeded C.W. Post defeated eight-seed Philadelphia University, 73-51, Saturday evening in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Pratt Recreation Center.
C.W. Post improves to 28-0 and will play Assumption College, who defeated Stonehill College, 61-49. The Pioneers last advanced in the tournament in 2003 when they defeated Assumption (81-75 ot) in the first round and later New Haven (78-61) before falling to UMass Lowell, 69-59, in the Sweet Sixteen. Philadelphia ends its season at 25-6.
Junior guard Russell Frederick (Baltimore, Md.) led the Rams with 14 points. Junior forward Malcolm Ingram (Philadelphia, Pa.) registered 10 points and 11 rebounds.
C.W. Post completed the game shooting .429 (24 of 56) from field goal range and outrebounded Philadelphia, 40-29. Philadelphia completed the game shooting .349 (15 of 43) from the field. The Pioneers outscored the Rams in the paint, 38-10.
The first half was a struggle offensively for both teams as they combined for an 8-for-48 shooting combination. The Pioneers jumped out to an 11-0 start, beginning with a layup from senior guard
Kenny Burkes (Suitland, Md.) at 19:04 and closing with a layup from senior guard
Kevin Spann (West Babylon, N.Y.) at 15:57.
The Rams put their first two points on the board with a pair of free throws from Ingram at 14:26. Ingram followed up with a layup in the paint at 13:10. Junior forward Mike Yocum (Dresher, Pa.) added a jumper at 12:02 to cut the lead to 11-6.
Carter scored layup in the paint at 10:09 that started a 9-2 Pioneer spurt and carried through until Carter converted two free throws at 4:41 to increase the lead to 20-8. The Rams added five unmatched points before Burkes sank a free throw at 4:02 and junior guard
Roberto Macklin (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) layed in a basket at 3:25 to increase C.W. Post's lead to 10 (23-13).
Schmidt scored the final basket of the half with a three-pointer at 1:19. C.W. Post led 26-13 at the break.
Schmidt scored 18 of his points in the second half and opened the half with two free throws at 19:49 and followed up seconds later with a layup in the paint at 19:20. Philadelphia scored its first basket of the half with a three-pointer from junior guard Russell Frederick (Baltimore, Md.) at 19:08.
The Pioneers fired back with unanswered doubles from Schmidt, Carter and a three-pointer from Carter to boost the advantage to 21 (37-16) with 16:24 left to play.
C.W. Post gradually maintained its lead and never let Philadelphia get within range. The Pioneers held their highest lead of the game (73-48) after junior guard
Stephen Mears (Middle Island, N.Y.) converted three free throws with 11 seconds left.
Burkes completed the game with 12 points while Spann finished with eight points and six rebounds.
Yocum added 10 points and two blocks while senior guard Mike Dunn (Harrisburg, Pa.) chipped in 11 points and four assists with a steal for Philadelphia.