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WILLIAMSTOWN, MA – Williams College (3-0)
downed Wesleyan University (2-1) 106-91 in a men's basketball
version of the Hollywood classic Shootout at the OK Corral, only
this time it was in the Ephs' Chandler Gym. Williams
connected on 58% of their floor shots on the night, while Wesleyan
hit on 47%.
Williams got a team-high 32 points from senior captain Blake
Shultz Eph sophomore guard James Wang added 29 and junior forward
Harlan Dodson chipped in with 20, while classmate Troy Whittington
netted 19. Whittington also had 3 blocks and 13 rebounds
Williams led at the half 52-46 on the strength of 23 points from
Blake Schultz. Wesleyan's freshman guards Shasha Brown (14
points) and Derrick Beresford (11 points) led the Cardinals in the
opening 20 minutes.
Brown led all scorers with 35 points on the night and backcourt
mate Derick Beresford contributed 14, but Beresford struggled with
his shot in the second half. Beresford hit on four of nine shots in
the first half and netted 11 points, but was limited to just a
three pointer in the second half as he made only one of 8 over the
final 20 minutes
Harlan Dodson's second three of the second half made it
69-59 Williams with 14:02 remaining and forced the Cardinals to
call timeout.
Wesleyan got a three from Kevin Scura and Greg St. jean added
two free throws to narrow the Eph lead to 5, 69-64.
A James Wang three at 9:17 established another Eph 10-point
lead, 79-69. Harlan Dodson next added two free throws.
A runner by Wesleyan's Jeremy Kaminer
was partially blocked by Blake Schultz and the Ephs called a
timeout as soon as they crossed half court.
Out of the pause Wang penetrated down the lane for two and when
Brown answered with his own layup Wang drained a three from the
right corner to make it 86-71 with 5:55 left and the Ephs were in
complete control.
“They're a handful to guard,” said Eph head
coach Mike Maker referring to the Wesleyan backcourt. “Coach
[Joe] Reilly does a great job with his personnel spreading the
floor, using their quickness and making us guard them in space. We
utilize space too, but we focus on passing and not the
dribble”
Maker attributed the win to the hot shooting of Schultz and
sophomore guard James Wang's penetrations (29 points) and the
maturation of his junior forwards. “We don't win this
game without the maturation of Harlan Dodson and Troy Whitington as
players and young men. I'm just so pleased with their
development. Blake Schultz was our go to guy tonight and he made a
lot of good things happen on offense. And not just with his
scoring”
“Nate Robertson didn't do much offensively, but his
defense was a key,” noted Maker. “Collectively I
thought we did a pretty good job of shuffling our feet on defense
and keeping them off the foul line. We still have a ways to go, but
were making progress.”
Williams once again achieved a team goal by making more free
throws than their opponent attempted 24 to 11.
The much taller Ephs controlled play on the glass by collecting
41 caroms to the Cardinals' 25.
“That was an excellent win for us against a well-coached
team whose strength is our weakness,” stated Maker
Wesleyan will next see action on December 3 when they travel to
Albertus Magnus. Williams will be back in action this Sunday when
they travel to North Adams to play MCLA.
NOTES: Blake Schultz
has made 12 consecutive free throws hitting his last six vs.
Cortland State and all six tonight. Tonight's game was a
non-league contest that counts on the season record and in Little
Three play, but not in the NESCAC standings. The Ephs will visit
Wesleyan for the NESCAC contest on January 22. Williams now owns a
6-game win streak over Wesleyan. Williams won its first outright
Little Three title since 1996 last winter in head coach Mike
Maker's inaugural season at the helm.
