SWARTHMORE, Pa.—Swarthmore College Men's Basketball remained unbeaten and defended its No. 1 national ranking by defeating the visiting 11th-ranked Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays 67-62 in a packed Tarble Pavilion on Tuesday night.

The contest was tightly contested, but the lead only changed at four different points in the first half. Johns Hopkins hung around, but never led in the final 27 minutes of the game.

Swarthmore (9-0, 4-0 Centennial) was steady from the floor, sinking 51.1 percent of its shots. The Garnet have shot better than 50 percent in each of the past four games.

Swarthmore kept the Blue Jays in check from the field. The Blue Jays only hit 37.9 percent of their shots and went just 6-of-26 from 3-point territory. The setback was the first of the season for the visitors (8-1, 3-1 Centennial).

Swarthmore again won the rebounding battle, taking 36 caroms off the glass to Hopkins' 30. Swarthmore's average rebound margin per game this season in +10.6.

An impressive first half from Nate Shafer down low powered the Garnet early. He had 12 points and six rebounds in the first frame and finished with a team-high 15 points.

Colin Shaw added 13 points, and George Visconti returned to the lineup, this time as a reserve, with 12 points.

Conor Harkins and Zac O'Dell each pitched in nine points, and O'Dell gathered a game-high 11 rebounds.

Swarthmore trailed by eight points with 11 minutes left in the first half, but soon found a groove. A triple from Harkins sparked a 9-0 run to put Swarthmore back in the lead. Hopkins interrupted the Garnet run with a layup, but Swarthmore, undaunted, responded with another 9-0 run sparked by a 3-point play from freshman Michael Caprise.

With a seven-point lead going into halftime, Swarthmore stretched the lead to double digits early in the second period. Hopkins made it a two-possession game, but Harkins had the answer in the form of a 3-pointer with 11:07 to go.

On an inbounds pass with three minutes remaining, Harkins made a Hail Mary throw from the baseline to beyond half court where a sprinting Visconti corralled the go-ahead pass, finished the fastbreak layup and drew the foul for the 3-point play.

Hopkins fouled persistently in the game's final minutes to try to sneak back into contention and got within three points with two seconds remaining. Visconti then put the game on ice with a pair of free throws.

Swarthmore brings its undefeated record into winter break. The Garnet return to action on Jan. 2, 2020 at home against the University of Rochester.