Men’s basketball rebounds from first loss

Even though the Middlebury men’s basketball team’s record-breaking run came to an end at the hands of rival Williams over February break, the Panthers remained hard at work, improving their record to 18-1 (6-1 in conference play) while continuing to be a dominant offensive and defensive force in the NESCAC.

While the Ephs did hand Middlebury their first loss of the season, it was not before the team extended its historic run to 16-0 with victories over Connecticut College and Southern Vermont.

First, Middlebury defended its streak at home against Conn. College in a dominant fashion, defeating the Camels 80-52 while extending its streak to 15-0. Center Andrew Locke ’11 led the Panthers with a career best 18 rebounds while adding 19 points, including 10 of Middlebury’s first 13 in the second half, and seven blocked shots.

The Panthers held a 12-point advantage at the end of the first half, one that they would only expand upon by the end of regulation. Ryan Wholey added 17 points for Middlebury while shooting 7 of 8 from the field. The Panthers again showed a tenacity on the defense side of the ball, holding the Camels to just 33 percent field goal shooting.

Next, Middlebury rolled past Southern Vermont, 81-63, in what would prove to be their final victory of the record-breaking run, improving to 16-0. The Panthers combined incredible shooting, making 55 percent of their attempts, and the defensive dominance that has come to characterize the team to control the Mountaineers despite an impressive 33-point effort from Southern Vermont’s Lance Spratling.

Already leading 46-24 at halftime, the Panthers opened the second period with a 9-0 run giving the team enough of a cushion to hold off a late 17-3 run by the Mountaineers. Ten different Panthers scored points in the game with Jake Wolfin ’13 and Locke leading the pack, scoring 16 and 13 respectively.

Just two days after extending their streak to 16-0, the fourth-ranked Panthers, playing without leading scorer and rebounder Ryan Sharry, saw their streak come to an end, dropping to 16-1 on the season while losing to the fifth-ranked Ephs 69-64 in an incredibly hard-fought game by both teams. Trailing by nine at half-time, the Panthers opened up the second period on a 10-0 run gaining a 40-39 advantage. From then on, the game was an all out battle with the score tied on 11 separate occasions.

Trailing 68-64 late in regulation, Joey Kizel ’14 had the ball stripped from him on a play that looked like it was going out of bounds. However, with just four seconds left on the game, Williams’ Harlan Dodson slid across the floor, gaining control of the ball and successfully calling a timeout just inches from the out of bounds line.

The Eph’s Troy Whittington would go on to hit one of two free throws, giving William’s the 69-64 advantage the team would end with. Four players, led by James Klemm’s 17, scored in double figures for the Ephs, who shot over 55 percent from the floor. Kizel led the Panthers with 16 points while Wolfin added 13.

However, Middlebury’s first loss did little to discourage the team as just a week later the Panthers blew past NESCAC rivals Colby and Bowdoin in consecutive games, defeating the teams 73-52 and 74-59 respectively, improving to 18-1 on the season and 6-1 in NESCAC play.

Ryan Sharry had a double-double against Colby in his first game back from injury, scoring 12 points while grabbing 12 rebounds while four players, led by Jake Wolfin’s 14, scored in double figures against Bowdoin.

With three regular season games left, and only one loss on the season to date, the Panthers will undoubtedly enter the postseason with high expectations for success in the NESCAC tournament and a hopeful bid in the NCAA tournament.  After demolishing last season’s record-setting 10-game winning streak, this year’s team can only hope to outdo last year’s once more by advancing further into NCAA play than its predecessor did.

Middlebury next plays Amherst and Trinity at Pepin Gymnasium while beginning to prepare for the upcoming postseason.