Nov. 12, 2010
Final Stats
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Jim Mower's game-tying three-pointer with 9.1 seconds left in the game was waived off by a walk call in the Leopards' season opener at Wagner on Friday night. The Seahawks took their final lead with 42 seconds left on a Latif Rivers' three in a 63-58 final.
Lafayette faced an uphill battle most of the night, getting off to a slow start. The Leopards shot 22 percent from the floor and could not find the bottom of the net from behind the arc, going 0-for-5 in the opening half. Lafayette scored half of its points at the line (10-of 11).
The Seawhawks, who led 34-20 at intermission, were buoyed by their star freshman in the opening 20 minutes. Rivers hit three of the team's six three-pointers and had a game-high 13 at the half.
The Leopards pick things up considerably in the second half, opening with a 16-2 run. Jared Mintz set a screen and slipped to the hoop to cut it to 36-33 at 12:39. The Leopards fed him again and he was fouled on a layup. The senior forward completed the three-point play and tied the game at 36-36. He finished the night with 21 points and seven boards, including an 9-for-9 effort at the stripe.
Wagner ran off seven straight before back-to-back feeds to Mintz resulted in turnaround buckets. Mintz completed a three-point play on the second basket and Lafayette trailed 43-41 with 7:38 left in game.
Wagner's Chris Martin, who finished the game with 16 points, hit three three-pointers in a two and a half-minute span to lead 54-48. Consecutive buckets by Ben Wheeler and Mower (12 points) cut the margin to 56-52 and a steal gave Lafayette the ball with 3:01 left in the game. After a scramble on the play, the Leopards called their final timeout.
Lafayette worked it inside and Ryan Willen drew a foul going to the hoop before the final media timeout. Willen (11 points) made two free throws to cut it to two 56-54. The junior forward had two more opportunities with 1:23 after being fouled on a loose-ball and he converted to tie the game at 56.
After a Wagner timeout, the Leopards' Rob Delaney drew a charge and Lafayette got the ball back with 1:09 left. The ball went inside to Mintz again. He was fouled with Lafayette in the double bonus and made both. Lafayette led 58-56 before Rivers' clutch three put Wagner ahead for the final time. Rivers ended with 18 points to join Martin and Tyler Murray (18) in double figures.
Lafayette committed just six turnovers in the second half while shooting 54 percent from the floor in that session. Lafayette was 1-of-8 free three-point land for the game while the Seahawks shot 11-of-22 from long distance. The Leopards held their own on the boards, outrebounding Rider 33-31. Tony Johnson had a career-high seven rebounds to go along with three assists and two steals.
A trip to Rider awaits the Leopards on Sunday at 4 p.m. The Broncs dropped a 10-points decision at UMass on Friday night.
NOTES:
Senior forward Darion Benbow (thumb) did not dress for the game. Senior guard Deirunas Visockas (broken foot) is out indefinitely.
Michael Gruner '10 and Jeff Kari '10, the co-captains for the 2009-10 squad, were in attendance at the season opener on Staten Island. Gruner is pursuing his professional basketball career and Kari is working for Guardian in New York City.
