Win Secures Third Place for Quakers, Fourth for Diplomats
Box Score
SALEM, Va. --- Guilford College had four players
in double figures on Saturday afternoon as the Quakers won the NCAA
Division III Men's Basketball National Consolation game, defeating
Franklin & Marshall College, 79-67. The Quakers (26-6)
wrapped up their best campaign since 1972-73 with a national third
place finish. Franklin & Marshall College (26-7) returns
to Lancaster, Pa., as the nation's fourth place team, completing an
outstanding turnaround from a 12-13 record in 2008.
Guilford junior Clay Henson scored a game-high 20 points and set
Guilford's career three-pointers record (189) in the Quakers'
26th win of the season. The junior guard had 14 points
by halftime and made six shots from long range, one better than the
Guilford NCAA Tournament record he set in Friday's 77-58 national
semifinal loss to Washington University in St. Louis Friday
night.
"We really wanted to win this game. This game meant a lot to us,"
Guilford head coach Tom Palombo said. "Our guys were fired up today
and played with a lot of energy. We really wanted it today and I
thought we showed that out there on the court."
Behind Henson's four first-half three-pointers, Guilford opened a
42-33 halftime lead. A Rhett Bonner three-pointer created a
13-point edge before the Diplomats gradually whittled the deficit
down to one with 8:13 left to play.
Senior Daniel Selig scored all nine of his points and blocked a
shot in Franklin & Marshall's 22-10 run over a 10-minute
second-half stretch. The Diplomats forced five turnovers and held
Guilford to three-of-11 field-goal shooting in that time. Two Selig
free throws capped the rally and made the score 58-57.
Bonner's three-pointer from the corner with 7:54 remaining
kick-started the Quakers and opened a 61-57 lead. The teams traded
possessions before Henson knocked down his sixth three-pointer of
the game for a 69-61 Quakers' lead with 4:54 left. Franklin &
Marshall never drew closer than seven points in the final five
minutes as it made only two-of-seven field goals against Guilford's
zone defense. The Quakers sealed their 13th win in 15
games by making all 10 free throws in the final three minutes.
After being held to 11 points and seven boards by Washington-St.
Louis, Guilford junior Tyler Sanborn registered his 20th
double-double of the season with 14 points, a game-high 17 caroms
and four blocks.
"Every day you get to play college basketball is a great day,"
Sanborn said. "(Today's game) was a little bit more difficult than
most games because of the disappointment last night, but we were
still ready."
Guilford senior George Neville added 17 points and seven boards in
his last of his 117 college contests. Bonner finished with 15
points (10 in the second half) and six assists. The Quakers enjoyed
a 47-30 rebounding edge, including 18 offensive boards that led to
14 second-chance points.
Sophomore James McNally led Franklin & Marshall with 18 points,
eight boards and three steals. Freshman Georgio Milligan added 15
points on seven-of-11 field-goal shooting, plus four assists.
Sophomore Anthony Brooks rounded out the Diplomats' double-figure
scorers with 14 points. Franklin & Marshall played without
starting swingman Clay Scovill, who missed the game with an ankle
injury suffered in the Diplomats' 62-58 setback to Richard Stockton
College in Friday night's second semifinal.
"I'm really proud of our team," Franklin & Marshall coach Glenn
Robinson said afterwards. "It was so difficult to have all of the
emotion involved, coming here to play in a national championship,
and play the kind of game we played against Stockton last
night."
This release is courtesy of Dave Walters, Guilford
College sports information.