No. 11 Men's Basketball Upset By Regis, 66-63
NO. 11 MEN'S BASKETBALL
UPSET BY REGIS, 66-63
IN 2009 PARK LODGE HOTEL TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP
WESTON, MA, Jan. 4, 2009 - Junior forward Javon Mathis (West Hartford, CT) recorded a game-high 20 points and 15 rebounds, but host Regis College rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final eight minutes to pull out a 66-63 win over No. 11 Elms College in the championship game of the 2009 Park Lodge Hotel Tournament on Sunday afternoon.
The Blazers (10-1), ranked 11th nationally in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll, saw its program-record 10-game win streak snapped. Elms College had also won 20 straight regular season games, dating back to last season.
Regis, in its second intercollegiate season, improved to 6-4.
Elms College, which defeated Regis 83-66 in the season opener for both teams back on November 15, appeared well on its way to its third tournament championship this season.
The Blazers led 56-45 following a 3-pointer by senior forward Ronald Thomas (Chicago, IL) with 7:54 remaining.
Regis then began its rally with jumpers by sophomore guards Jimmy Irmiter (Chicago, IL) and Josh Irvin (New Britain, CT) over the next 57 seconds to cut the deficit to 56-49.
Thomas connected on another 3-pointer on the Blazers' next possession to extend Elms College's lead to 59-49 with 6:21 remaining.
Junior guard James Cooper (Philadelphia, PA) converted a 3-point play with a jumper and ensuing free throw after being fouled to pull the Pride to within 59-52.
Junior guard Juan Galdon (Holyoke, MA) drained a pair of free throws with 5:08 remaining and following a Regis turnover, Mathis knocked down a jumper to give the Blazers a seemingly insurmountable 63-52 lead with 4:41 remaining.
Mathis' basket, however, was the last for Elms College, as it was outscored 14-0 over the final 4:17.
Senior guard Aswad Thomas (Hartford, CT) finished with 14 points and Ronald Thomas added 13 for the Blazers, whose 63 points were a season-low.
Elms College was held to 38.1-percent shooting (24 of 63), including 5 of 18 from 3-point range.
The Blazers return to action in their New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) opener at Becker on Saturday, January 10. Tip-off is 3:00 p.m.