Box Score SWARTHMORE, Pa. – Freshman
Zack Yonda scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds to propel the Swarthmore College men's basketball team to an 84-72 victory over Muhlenberg on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at Tarble Pavilion. With the victory, the Garnet swept their season series against the Mules for the first time since the 2003-04 campaign.
The first half was tightly contested with six ties and nine lead changes. The teams played a one-possession game until sophomore
Sam Lebryk nailed a 3-pointer that was set up by junior
Shane Loeffler to give Swarthmore a 30-26 edge with 4:12 left. Lebryk drilled another shot from downtown to extend the lead to seven before Malique Killing hit a free throw with 0.4 seconds remaining to make it 40-35 at the break.
Swarthmore came out strong and began the second half by rattling off seven unanswered. Loeffler set the tone with a trey on the team's first possession, and Yonda and sophomore
Chris Bourne followed with field goals. The Garnet kept their foot on the gas pedal and went up by as many 20 shortly before the midway point for the second straight game when Yonda drove in for a layup.
The Mules, however, did not go away quietly and came within 11 when Brandon LaRoose stole the ball and converted a layup to create a 70-59 score. But that was as close as the visitors would come, as Yonda and Bourne combined for 12 of Swarthmore's next 14 points en route to the victory.
Yonda led Swarthmore with 21 points by shooting 6-for-11 from the field and 9-for-12 at the line. Senior
Karl Barkley and Bourne finished with 16 points apiece, while Barkley made five shots from beyond the arc. Freshman
Matt Brennan netted 13 points and dished out four assists.
Killing paced Muhlenberg (11-11, CC 6-9) in the losing effort with 25 points and four assists, which were both team bests. Nick Rindock contributed 14 points, and John Hunter blocked three shots.
Swarthmore (9-13, CC 5-10) will play its final contest at Tarble Pavilion this season when it hosts McDaniel on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 3 p.m. Barkley, who was recently named to the Allstate NABC Good Works Team, will be recognized for his contributions to the program prior to the game.
