Medaille Tops Westminster in Back-and- Forth Affair, 74-72

Medaille Tops Westminster in Back-and- Forth Affair, 74-72

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Michael Schroeder

BOX SCORE | TOURNAMENT PAGE

By Michael Schroeder

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - Meghale Ford (Laurel, Md.) broke a tie with a layup with four seconds to play and then came up with a steal to seal a 74-72 Medaille College win over Westminster College in the first round of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Men's Basketball Championship in New Wilmington, Pa.

Ford contributed his 12th point of the game for No. 3 seed Medaille (18-10) with the layup in the final seconds, after second-seeded Westminster's (19-9) Austin Armwood (Columbus, Ohio) buried a three-pointer with 15 ticks on the clock to tie the game at 72.

Ford then stepped up on the defensive end and swiped a steal, ending Westminster's chances of putting together a second game-tying possession.

Three other Medaille players joined Ford in double figures, with Mike Hollenbeck (Ontario, N.Y.) leading the way with 20 points. Jalen Smith (Batavia, N.Y.) had 18, and Kirk Hawkins (Laurel, Md.) contributed 10.

Westminster was paced by Jarret Vrabel's (Canfield, Ohio) 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds, and Blake Payne (Ashtabula, Ohio) also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The two sides were tied at 39 at the half, before Medaille outscored Westminster in the second 20 minutes, 35-33. Medaille was victorious despite being outrebounded, 51-39, thanks in part to connecting on 11-of-27 three-point tries (.407).

The contest featured nine ties and eight lead changes.

Medaille now advances to face top-seeded Bethany College in the quarterfinals Friday afternoon at 2:00 (ET).

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