Men make first-round exit after exciting year

Author: Jeff Klein

For a while, it looked like the small college from rural Vermont would stage an improbable victory. But in the end, the larger university from New York clamped down and won.

The Middlebury men's basketball team put forth an inspired effort this past Friday, March 7 in its first-ever NCAA tournament game, but eventually fell to the University of Rochester 56-43. The loss ended an impressive season for the Panthers, who set a school record for wins in both the regular season and playoffs.

Middlebury, looking to catch the favored Rochester team off-guard, started off strong, scoring the first points of the game on a three from co-captain Mike Walsh '08 and jumping out to an 11-5 lead. The Yellow Jackets would respond, though, as they scored the next eight points to seize a two-point advantage at the 9:50 mark.

The rest of the first half was characterized by offensive ineptitude, as both Middlebury and Rochester could not seem to find the mark. Although there were five lead changes in the opening 20 minutes, neither team could garner consistent momentum, and the Yellow Jackets took a 21-20 lead into the break despite shooting .292 from the floor. The Panthers had an even less impressive .258 field goal percentage and were only 2-of-11 from three-point range, usually the cornerstone of their offensive attack. In all, the two teams combined to miss 44 shots in the half.

In the second half, Middlebury was outplayed by a rejuvenated Rochester team. After opening the half with a Ben Rudin '09 three that gave them their last lead of the game, 23-21, the Panthers allowed a 12-0 run that gave the home team a 10-point lead with 15:55 mark.

"They outplayed us in the second half," said Middlebury coach Jeff Brown, alluding especially to that decisive 12-0 run. "We had to extend the flow defensively, and I think that took a little steam out of us offensively."

Rochester's lead remained between eight to 10 points for much of the second half. Each time the Panthers tried to claw their way back, the Yellow Jackets stung them with a heavy dose of their inside game, led by 6'6" center Uche Ndubizu, who had eight points to go along with nine rebounds on the night.

Still, Brown gave his team credit for fighting with Rochester's bigs. "I was really proud of how we competed," he said. "Our biggest concern coming in was their strength and athleticism."

Middlebury fought back to within 41-37 on a jumper by Ashton Coghlan '11 at the 6:38 mark, but that was as close as the team would get. Rochester answered with an 8-0 run to regain control, and the Yellow Jackets maintained a double-digit lead for the rest of the game.

The Panthers did not have a double-digit scorer on the night, as Tim Edwards' '10 nine points led Middlebury. Walsh and Rudin added seven points apiece, while Andrew Locke '11 provided the Panthers with four rebounds and four blocks off the bench. Much of Middlebury's poor offensive performance was due to the smothering defense of Rochester.

"We saw what we expected," said Edwards. "We knew they were a great half-court defensive team."

While the Panthers certainly had higher hopes going into their first-ever NCAA tournament, players took pride in all that they have accomplished this season.

"The season has been a great run," said Aaron Smith '09. "We have made huge strides as a program and I believe this season has set the foundation for Middlebury basketball to become a powerhouse in the NESCAC."

"I can't say enough about our seniors," Smith continued. "Their leadership was tremendous and they will be truly missed. Now all we can do is prepare for next year. We definitely have high expectations."