BALTIMORE – Vinny DeAngelo made the go-ahead layup with 1.9 seconds remaining to lift the Swarthmore College men's basketball team to its sixth straight win in an instant classic, 71-70, at No. 17 Johns Hopkins University on Saturday.
The triumph wrapped up a 14-4 Centennial Conference schedule for the Garnet. They are the fourth seed in next week's conference tournament and will host fifth-seeded Ursinus College in the opening round on Wednesday.
Swarthmore built a 10-point halftime advantage but the Blue Jays chipped away in the second half and finally evened the score with under three minutes to play. The lead changed six times in the final 1:10 as each squad looked like it might pull out the victory. After Johns Hopkins went in front with 9.7 seconds to go, DeAngelo dribbled the ball all the way down the court before driving to his left into the lane. He put his shot off the glass and it fell to put Swarthmore back in front. The Blue Jays got off a clean look from three as time expired but it fell short.
DeAngelo led all scorers with a season-high 28 points.
Michael Caprise followed with 15 points and
Eddie Paquette chipped in with nine. Caprise and Paquette also grabbed nine rebounds apiece.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Johns Hopkins was ahead 10-7 just over six minutes in when the Garnet took over with a 12-2 run. Five players contributed offensively with the Swarthmore defense limiting the Blue Jays to just 1-for-9 shooting. The Garnet held a 19-12 advantage with 9:43 on the clock at the end of the surge.
- The margin was still seven (23-16) at the 8:11 mark before Johns Hopkins cut the deficit to one (23-22) with six consecutive points. However, Swarthmore closed the half with an 11-2 stretch to take its largest lead of the game (34-24) into the intermission. DeAngelo sparked the run with eight points and the Garnet defense held the Blue Jays without a field goal.
- The teams went back and forth over the opening 13-plus minutes of the second half with Swarthmore maintaining the upper hand. The score was 55-47 with 6:42 left when Johns Hopkins scored 13 of the next 18 points to come back and even it up at 60 with 2:56 to go.
- The Garnet tallied four of five to go ahead 64-61 at the 1:58 mark. The Blue Jays sank a jumper before Caprise made a free throw and the difference was two (65-63). However, JHU drilled a corner three to take the lead with 1:09 remaining. DeAngelo answered with a foul-line jump shot to put Swarthmore back in front, 67-66, with 53 seconds to play.
- The Blue Jays drew a foul and made both shots at the line to retake the lead at 43 seconds. DeAngelo drove in from the right side and missed a layup, but he corralled his own rebound and put it back for a 69-68 Garnet edge with 24 seconds left. Johns Hopkins responded with a fadeaway jumper to seize the upper hand again with just under 10 seconds to play, setting the stage for DeAngelo's heroics. Eight of DeAngelo's 28 points came in the final two minutes of the contest.
GARNET LEADERS
Points: DeAngelo 28
Rebounds: Paquette, Caprise 9
Assists:
Nyle Coleman,
Aidan Godfrey 3
Steals: Caprise 2
UP NEXT
Swarthmore (17-8) takes on Ursinus at Tarble Pavilion on Wednesday to begin the postseason. Game time is to be announced.
