2008 Woodie Awards
Men's Basketball finds its rhythm
Victoria Davis
Issue date: 2/15/07 Section: Sports
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On Wed., Feb. 7, Men's Basketball took the court against Swarthmore (10-12, 7-8), a team they came back to beat earlier in the season. Looking for the sweep, the Mules entered the game hoping to ride the success of their thrilling victory over Franklin & Marshall that ended their eight-game losing streak, but found themselves down by six early on.
The Mules fought back and soon enough took a lead of their own. Senior Tom Scott and sophomore Mike Bernadini had the hottest hands for the Mules, scoring 20 and 21 points respectively. Freshman Ryan Foster also had a big game, hitting all three of his three-point attempts. His big threes along with Bernadini's 17 second-half points and the team's solid free-throw shooting put the Mules up for good, and they went on to win 78-65. Senior Chris Huber led the Mules in rebounds with seven, and senior Brandon Mefford dished out four assists.
A few days later on Sat. Feb., 10, Men's Basketball would add to their new-found winning streak as they battled McDaniel (10-12, 7-9). Just over a minute into the game, senior Christopher Strachan opened up the scoring as he hit a three, and the Mules were off. With leads as great at ten points, the Mules never looked back, and held strong throughout. But with little time left in the game, The Green Terror found a way to tie it up, 68 all. Finding themselves in the all too familiar position of playing a tight game, the Mules hoped they would be able to pull off another close victory.
With just 1.5 seconds remaining, Scott found senior Justin Fields who took the ball up for a lay-up and was immediately fouled. Fields missed his first free-throw, but was able to ignore the pressure and knock down the second to put his team up by a single point.
After a McDaniel timeout, The Green Terror threw up an unsuccessful half-court try, and the celebration began. For the third game in a row, the Mules found a way to win, and for the second time, it came down to the wire.
Five Muhlenberg players reached double figures: Fields finished with a team-high 13 points, Scott added 12, and Mefford and senior Jimmie Riggins scored 11. Bernadini missed the double-digit mark by one as he contributed nine points of his own. Scott also grabbed nine rebounds to lead his team.
With a record of 8-14, 7-9, the Mules are currently in a four-way tie for the fifth and final playoff spot in the Centennial Conference. Considering their three-game winning streak, it is looking up for the Mules, and they just might find themselves competing in the playoffs.
The seniors on the team in particular are willing to do whatever it takes, as they anticipate their final games at the College. With only two games remaining in the regular season, the team's confidence is higher than ever, and the Mules are ready to make their move.