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WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -- The Ephs (10-5) lost for the second time in
as many games Tuesday, 62-58 to the Continentals of Hamilton
College (7-4). The Ephs were out shot 46% to 42% from the
field and 47% to 29% from beyond the arc. Hamilton made their
first five shots from the field in the second half in mounting a
10-0 run and never relinquished the lead.
Despite shooting a respectable 48% from the field in the first
half, the Eph offense looked disjointed at times, foreshadowing
offensive woes to come in the second half.
Williams seemed poised to break away from the Continentals on
several occasions, but each time Hamilton came up with a big shot
when they needed it. After a three by 6'6" Eph guard/forward
Will Hardy (Richmond, VA) put the Ephs up 19-16, Continentals
leading scorer Harlee Wood hit a three from the top of the key to
tie it at 19.
Somehow the Ephs made it to the locker room up 34-31.
After the Hamilton run to open the second half, the two teams
traded baskets for a while until Williams finally put together the
makings of a comeback.
Down 56-48, the Ephs would ride the coattails of big man Joe
Geoghegan (Cape Elizabeth, ME) to climb back into the game.
After struggling somewhat early in the first half and into the
second, Geoghegan made a ton of huge plays for the Ephs down the
stretch on both ends of the court. Among those plays was a
dunk and a tip-in off a Will Hardy miss on consecutive plays to cut
the Hamilton lead to four, 56-52.
Moments later, senior co-captain Kevin Snyder (Littleton, CO)
hit a runner in the lane to pull Williams within two.
Williams would later pull to within a single point, but with 22
seconds left found themselves down 60-58 with the ball. After
a timeout, Williams would run a play to get second-leading scorer
Blake Schultz (Atherton, CA) the ball on the left side.
Schultz drove the lane but had the ball blocked out of bounds with
6 seconds left. On the inbounds play Snyder had an open
jumper from the baseline to tie it. Snyder appeared to be
accosted on the play, as the normally sharp-shooting guard missed
the shot badly off the front rim, but no foul was called despite a
livid Eph coach Mike Maker's disdain.
Harlee Wood made both free throws for the Continentals after the
Ephs were forced to foul, sealing the win for Hamilton 62-58.
Geoghegan had a huge day for the Ephs despite the losing effort,
putting up a game-high 18 points on 7 of 13 shooting and pulling
down 13 rebounds. The majority of Geoghegan's points came in
the stretch run for the Ephs in the second half.
Schultz was second with 13 points on a tough shooting night (4
of 13 from the field), but the Ephs looked troubled on offense all
night.
"We had no flow offensively, and that's something we've had all
year before this game," said Coach Maker.
For Hamilton, Ephraim McDowell led the way with 16 points on 4
of 6 from behind the three-point arc. Forward Patrick
Sullivan matched him with 16 of his own on 6 of 9 from the field,
and Harlee Wood poured in 14 points and 13 rebounds.
After a tough loss to a motivated Hamilton team, Coach Maker was
disappointed.
"We didn't come out with the same intensity we've had all year,
and I take full responsibility for that. This is my first
game as the Williams coach that I have not been proud of our
effort."
Williams will lick their wounds in preparation for another home
contest against conference foe Tufts on Friday. Game time is
set for 7:30 pm.
