Men's b-ball stunned by home loss

Author: Jeff Klein

As quickly as success and glory can come, it can also be taken away in the blink of an eye. The Panthers are all too aware of that reality right now.

Stace Garrick hit a long three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining that sent Middlebury to a heartbreaking 78-76 defeat at the hands of visiting Bridgewater State. The loss puts an end to a historically successful season for the Panthers, who displayed a valiant effort before a capacity crowd in Pepin Gymnasium but nonetheless were unable to garner their first NCAA tournament win.

For much of the game, it appeared as if Middlebury had the upper hand. After trailing briefly in the early going, the backcourt duo of Ben Rudin '09 and Kyle Dudley '09 hit back-to-back threes to give the Panthers a 17-9 lead, sending the emotional and crazed student section into a frenzy. This was Middlebury basketball at its best, and the crowd was anticipating nothing less than another victory for the home team.

Although the Panthers were able to expand their lead to nine on three separate occasions in the first half, one never got the sense that they were about to run away with the game. Bridgewater St. was able to use its abundant athleticism and clutch shooting to remain within striking distance.

As the horn expired at the end of the first half, the Bears closed to within four on - perhaps fittingly - a basket by Garrick, which proved to be an ominous foreshadowing of what was to unfold later on.

If there was any question as to whether or not the game would remain tight for the rest of the contest, Bridgewater St. answered it by erasing Middlebury's advantage and grabbing a 45-44 lead just two minutes into the second half on a bucket by Nicholas Motta.

Middlebury, however, responded with a vengeance, as Dudley and Tim Edwards '09.5 hit consecutive threes to restore a seven-point advantage for the home team.

The Bears then promptly went on an 8-0 run of their own, giving them a 53-52 lead at the 12:59 mark of the second stanza.

From that point forward, the game remained extremely close, with neither team able to garner a significant advantage. A basket by Rudin gave Middlebury a 68-65 lead with just 3:18 left, and things were looking even better for the Panthers when two of Bridgewater St.'s key players fouled out shortly after.

The Panthers' lead held at a steady four to six points for the next couple of minutes, but several missed free throws prevented them from expanding their lead further. After Dudley hit one of two from the line to give Middlebury a five-point lead with 37 seconds remaining, Garrick hit the first of his two daggers from behind the arc to pull the Bears to within two points.

The visitors called timeout, and on the ensuing inbounds, Middlebury coughed up the ball under their hoop, allowing the Bears to tie the game on a layup.

Middlebury quickly inbounded the ball again and this time was able to get it in successfully. Edwards saw Jamal Davis '11 streaking down the court and launched a pass in his direction. Davis deftly eluded a defender and laid the ball in the hoop, once again giving the Panthers a two point lead.

However, Bridgewater St. had one last chance, and the Bears made the most of it. Garrick dribbled down the right side of the court and, with approximately 15 seconds left, launched an off-balanced three that hit nothing but net.

Rudin then dribbled down the court, hoping to add another chapter to Middlebury's storybook season, but it was not meant to be. His fadeaway jumper from right around the foul line bounced off the front rim, and the Panthers fouled with a second left.

Just 30 seconds before, the crowd noise had been deafening. Now, a stunned silence permeated Pepin Gymnasium.

Nicholas Motta hit one of two free throws for the Bears. Following a timeout, Middlebury had its desperation inbound heave intercepted, ending the game, as well as the Panthers' season. Meanwhile, Bridgewater St. - along with its small but vocal contingent of fans - celebrated wildly, as the players collapsed in a heap at center court. The Bears advance to play the winner of MIT and Farmingdale St. in the sectional round of the NCAA tournament.

While Bridgewater St. certainly deserves credit for the victory, Middlebury can point to some of its own play down the stretch as responsible for giving the Bears new life, and ultimately, the win.

First, the late turnover on the inbounds pass was a huge momentum shift that enabled the Bears to play the Panthers straight up for the final 30 seconds, instead of having to foul.

Also important was the possession directly following the steal and tying layup, in which the Panthers came right back downcourt to score the go-ahead layup. Middlebury could have opted to hold the ball for a final shot, which would have ensured, at worst, overtime. Instead, the quick possession gave Bridgewater St. the ball back, which allowed Garrick the time he needed to pull his heroics.

But clearly the most significant factor was free-throw shooting: Middlebury missed 15 of 26 freebies on the night, including a handful in the final few minutes. Foul shooting had been the Panthers' Achilles heel all season, as they ranked just seventh in the NESCAC.

Throughout the season, the team had been able to largely mask their lack of consistency from the charity stripe by stepping up in other facets of the game. Against a team of Bridgewater St.'s caliber, however, Middlebury was unable to overcome a poor performance from the line.

Still, the Panthers end their season with the satisfaction of knowing that they broke new ground with a record number of wins, and most importantly, their first NESCAC championship.

Meanwhile, the s

eniors end their Middlebury basketball careers having established a winning culture for the program and having left behind a solid foundation for all future players who put on a Middlebury Panthers basketball jersey.