The Muhlenberg Weekly

Issue date: 2/8/07 Section: Sports

Going into a game on Wed. Jan. 31 at Haverford, the Mules were ready to rid themselves of a nagging 7-game losing streak that they just couldn't shake. And they wouldn't, at least not against Haverford. The Mules began the game with a 5-14, 4-9 record, battling a Haverford team with a 9-10, 8-5 record. This game would only add a tally into the loss column, as Muhlenberg played on what can only be described as an "off day," shooting 32.6 percent from the field and totaling only 39 points, the lowest number of points for the Mules in 25 years. Haverford topped their 39 points with 56 of their own, taking a decisive a victory. However, there was a bright spot for the Mules as senior Chris Pothering reached a personal milestone as he hit his 100th career three-pointer. Senior Chris Huber had a team high of 10 points, and senior Tom Scott added six rebounds in the losing effort.

Putting their 1-9 record for January behind them, the Mules prepared for their alumni game against Franklin & Marshall on Sat. Feb. 3. With former Mules cheering them on, the team pulled off an exciting win. They finished the first half shooting only 27 percent, and it looked like the losing streak might reach nine games. Two minutes into the second half, Muhlenberg found themselves in a huge hole of 18 points. But then, something seemed to snap, a switch was hit, and the Mules began their memorable comeback. They put the pressure on the fading Diplomats, going on an 8-0 run with nine minutes remaining in the game, and took a one-point lead. The teams began swapping leads, and the nail-biting commenced. The Mules never let up and shot an impressive 59 percent in the second half. With seconds left, senior Jimmie Riggins launched a baseball pass down the court for Scott, who was quickly fouled. With just 2.2 seconds left in the game, Scott brushed off the pressure and nailed his free-throws to win the game for the Mules. Scott scored a team-high 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the double-double. Behind him was Huber who hit three three-pointers in the win and totaled 16 points.

The Mules put on a show for their alumni, and were ecstatic to put their losing streak in the past. After one of their worst losses, they were able to come back in the next game and finish strong. Now, with a game against Swarthmore coming up, hopefully they can begin piecing together a long string of wins.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools