Williams Men's Basketball Downs Bates, 92-62
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The team opened the first half with a bang, jumping out to an 11-3 lead just 3:34 into the game on a Harlan Dodson 3-pointer. The Bobcats were able to make the score 11-7 with 14 minutes to play in the half, but the Ephs responded with a 7-2 run to make the score 18-9 with 12:08 remaining.
Williams would not lead by less than eight the rest of the game, but Bates stuck around even amidst an Eph offensive onslaught. Williams led by as many as 16 in the first half after an Alex Rubin three made the score 32-16 with 6:29 remaining, but the Bobcats were able to make the score 34-24 with 4:39 to play before the Ephs ended the half with a 42-30 lead.
Schultz and Rubin led the Eph offense in the first half with 11 and nine points respectively, while James Wang and Troy Whittington both scored 8 as the Ephs finished 16-28 from the field in the half, good for a 57 percent shooting mark. Schultz grabbed five steals in the first as the Ephs forced eight turnovers while holding the Bobcats to 40percent shooting (12-30) for the half, though Brian Ellis did significant work to keep Bates in the game, scoring 13 points and grabbing five rebounds.
As the second half began, it appeared as though the Bobcats might make it a game, as the Ephs' opponents scored the first four points of the half to make the score 42-34 with 18 minutes to play and cut the Williams lead to eight. The Eph offense then exploded, going on an 11-4 run over the next 3:36 capped by a Wang 3-pointer to make the score 53-38. Then, with the score 57-44 and 12:50 to play, Williams went on a 13-4 run, again capped by a Wang 3-pointer, to make the score 70-48 and put the game almost out out of reach for the Bobcats with 9:07 to play. The Ephs slowly stretched their lead over the game's final nine minutes, leading by as many as 32 before the game ended, 92-62.
The Eph offense was even more impressive in the first half than it was in the second, scoring 50 points on 65 percent shooting (17-26) and making an incredible 67 percent of its threes (8-12). Schultz scored 13 second half points to finish with 24; he also grabbed five rebounds and picked up two assists on the day. Wang scored 11 in the second half to finish with 19 points on the game while picking up 5 assists and 2 boards, and Rubin finished 6-7 from the field and 5-6 from three to finish 18. Whittington added another 7 in the second half to finish with 15 while also blocking three shots for the game, and co-captain Joe Geoghegan finished the day with six points and 11 boards.
Meanwhile, Williams held Bates to 31 percent shooting in the second half. Ellis finished the game with 21 points and six rebounds, while Nick Schmieman finished as the only other Bobcat in double figures with 16.
“I am really proud of all our players and our senior class and the leadership they provide,” said Williams head coach Mike Maker. He continued, “It is not the success I am proud of, but the way we are doing it, and I do not mean our margin of victory. I am speaking about the kind of young men our players our, and I am proud to be their coach.
Maker's team now awaits a challenging schedule to close the season, playing seven of its last nine games on the road as well as its next five straight. “We have had a favorable schedule thus far with a lot of home games,” said the coach. “We have a lot of improving to do, with [so many] on the road to end the year, but we are looking forward to the challenge.
“Right now we want our guys to enjoy the way we have opened in the NESCAC; to do so well is a wonderful way to build confidence,” added the coach.
Williams will now take a break from NESCAC play to take on New Paltz State on the road on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. in its first of five straight road games.
