Men's Basketball Eliminated From NCAA Division III Championship
GETTYSBURG RALLIES PAST
ELMS COLLEGE, 66-65
IN NCAA DIVISION III CHAMPIONSHIP SECOND ROUND
Gettysburg rallies
from a seven-point deficit in the final 45 seconds to eliminate the
Blazers
GETTYSBURG, PA, March 8, 2008 - Elms College junior guard Aswad Thomas (Hartford, CT) netted a team-high 11 points, but Gettysburg College rallied from a seven-point deficit in the game's final 45 seconds as junior guard Corey Dorsey's (Frederick, MD) drained three 3-pointers, including the game-winner with 0.7 second left that lifted the host Bullets to a 66-65 win over the Blazers in the second round of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship on Saturday night at Hen Bream Gymnasium on the campus of Gettysburg College.
With the loss, Elms College is eliminated from the tournament, but concludes its most successful season in program-history at 23-7.
Gettysburg (24-4) now advances to its first-ever Sweet 16 next Friday night against Ursinus.
The Blazers appeared well on their way to their first-ever Sweet 16 following a pair of free throws by senior guard Randy Hite (Hartford, CT) with 45 seconds remaining that extended Elms College's lead to 62-55.
From there, however, it was all Dorsey, as he drained three 3-pointers over the final 45 seconds, including the game-winner in the final second.
Galdon nearly won it for the Blazers on the ensuing inbound, as his 3-pointer from midcourt found nothing but net, but came after the final horn had sounded.
Freshman center Andrew Powers (Boyertown, PA) registered a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds, junior guard Dan Capkin (Wynnewood, PA) added 16 points and Dorsey finished with 15 points to all reach double figures for the Bullets in the victory.
Sophomore guard Juan Galdon (Holyoke, MA) and Hite finished with 10 points apiece to reach double figures in the loss.
The Blazers roared out to an 8-0 lead in the game's opening 3:12 behind senior forward Nate Hawes' (New Hope, MN) layup and 3-pointers by junior forward Joe Esile (Milford, CT) and Hite.
The host Bullets answered with an 8-0 run of their own over the next 2:34 to knot the game at 8-all.
Galdon answered with a 3-pointer seconds later to reclaim the lead for the Blazers at 11-8.
From there, Elms College held the lead for the remainder of the half, but never led by more than four and led just 35-33 at intermission.
Powers led all scorers with 11 first half points for Gettysburg, which shot 42.3-percent (11 of 26) from the field in the opening half, but connected on just 1 of 7 from 3-point range.
The Blazers, meanwhile, were limited to 41.2-percent (14 for 34) shooting in the half, but shot 5 of 12 from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes.