The Hobart basketball team put up a valiant fight but defending national champion Christopher Newport pulled away in the second half to post a 79-59 win in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship in Widener’s Schwartz Center tonight.
Junior Aidan Rodgers led the Statesmen with 14 points. Senior Isaiah Washington added 10 points and six rebounds, while junior Pat Healy scored nine points. Junior Carter Meshanic grabbed a team-high eight rebounds to go with six points.
CNU’s Jake Latta led all scorers with 21 points, going 7-of-9 from the floor and 7-of-9 at the line. Toa Hollenbeck contributed 17 points and Isaiah Dozier chipped in 12 points. Jahn Hines pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.
KEY STATS
- Hobart thrived on the glass and at the free throw line all season long, but the Captains had the upper hand in both categories tonight.
- CNU, ranked No. 23 in the D3hoops.com poll, outrebounded the Statesmen 47-35 and enjoyed a 16-8 advantage in second chance points.
- The Captains went 14-of-21 at the line, while Hobart was 9-of-16.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- CNU scored the first five points of the game and never trailed. The Captains led 11-2 after five minutes of play.
- Hobart would chip away at its deficit, pulling within one (27-26) on a fastbreak layup by Meshanic with 2:29 left in the half.
- CNU scored the final six points of the half, taking a 33-26 lead into halftime.
- The Captains carried the momentum over into the second half, scoring the first four points for an 11-point lead.
- Rodgers drained a 3-pointer just over four minutes into the half, to cut CNU’s lead to eight, but the Statesmen would get no closer.
- Christopher Newport scored the next five points to push its advantage back into double digits where it remained for the rest of the game.
FOR THE RECORD
- Hobart ends the season with a 22-6 overall record.
- Christopher Newport improves to 22-6 and will face the winner of Widener/Roger Williams in the second round on Saturday.
GAME…
Read the full article here
