Thompson, Wallis Key Second Half Run Past Guilford

Box Score

SALEM, Va. --- Aaron Thompson scored a game-high 30 points to lead Washington University-St. Louis to a 77-58 win over Guilford College in the first of two NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament semifinal games Friday.

The win sends the defending national champion Bears (28-2) into their second straight national title game. Washington-St. Louis plays the winner of Friday's second semifinal between Richard Stockton College and Franklin & Marshall College at 3:00 p.m. for the Division III crown. Guilford (25-6) meets the loser at 12:30 p.m. in the consolation contest.

Thompson tied an NCAA Division III Championship Series record with eight three-pointers in only 12 attempts. The 6-4 junior guard made four-of-six three-pointers in the first half and had 16 points by intermission. Washington-St. Louis made six first-half three-pointers as a team to take a 39-26 halftime lead.  The Bears finished the game with 13 makes from deep, their best long-distance output of the season.

"The guy [Thompson] can really shoot," explained Guilford head coach Tom Palombo.  "I thought he set the tone, making shots early in the first half."

Washington University shot 15-of-28 from the field in the opening 20 minutes to a 39-26 halftime advantage.  The Bears led by as many as 17 points before Guilford pared down its deficit going into the locker rooms.

An 11-3 Guilford run pulled the Quakers to within 46-41 with 12:50 left in regulation. Junior Clay Henson had 10 of Guilford's points during the spurt, including two three-pointers sandwiched around a Thompson trey, his seventh of the game.

Washington-St. Louis regrouped after a timeout and pulled away with a 16-0 run over the next 4:49. Senior guard Sean Wallis reeled off the run's first 11 points aided by three straight three-pointers. Thompson added another trifecta and senior Tyler Nading capped the burst with a layup that opened a 62-41 Bears' edge with 8:01 remaining.

"First of all, I would like to congratulate Guilford.  That was a heck of a game," explained Washington University head coach, Mark Edwards.  "It was just that one run that was the difference in the ball game. I thought that Guilford did a good job and it was great Division III basketball."

Behind Thompson and Wallis, Washington-St. Louis made a season-high 13 three-pointers in 25 attempts (52.0%) and shot better than 54 percent from the floor overall. Thompson also had a game-best nine rebounds as the Bears enjoyed a 32-23 edge on the boards. Wallis finished with 15 points and Nading contributed nine points and seven rebounds.

Henson paced the Quakers with 23 points and made a Guilford NCAA Tournament-record five three-pointers. Tyler Sanborn added 11 points and a team-best seven rebounds. He also blocked two shots and moved into third place among Guilford's career rejections leaders with 130.

Dave Walters of Guilford sports information contributed to this release.