HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Swarthmore College men's basketball team suffered a 74-68 loss at Haverford College in the regular season finale on Saturday.
 
The Garnet seized an early lead and trailed just once in the first half, taking a 35-29 advantage into the break. The Fords used an 11-2 run to take a 45-41 lead with 12:13 left in the second. A three by Zander Jimenez put Swarthmore back in front, 56-53, with 4:51 to go. However, Haverford followed with a 9-0 surge to take over for good.
 
Jimenez led the Garnet with 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting. Eddie Paquette tallied 15 points and Devin Burger contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
Swarthmore is the fifth seed in next week's Centennial Conference Tournament and draws fourth-seeded Franklin and Marshall College in the opening round.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Jimenez began the game with a three to spark a 9-2 Garnet start. Jimenez scored five points and Nyle Coleman added four. The Fords answered with a 12-5 stretch to even it up at 14 at the 10:14 mark. The two sides went back and forth and Haverford held a slim 27-26 edge with 3:34 remaining. Swarthmore followed with nine of the final 11 points of the half to lead 35-29 at intermission. Jimenez tallied four points, Andrew Park sank a three, and Burger added two foul shots.
 
- The Garnet were in front 39-34 at the 17:52 mark of the second half. The Fords then went off for an 11-2 run to go ahead 45-41 with 12:13 to go. They shot 5-of-10 during the stretch while limiting Swarthmore to 1-of-5 from the field. With the score 49-45, the Garnet rallied for 11 of the next 15 to lead 56-53 with 4:51 left. Jimenez led the way with five points, punctuating the run with a three.
 
- Haverford took control for the final time with nine straight points as part of a 13-2 spurt that ended with the Fords in front, 66-58, with 1:03 to play. The Fords shot a perfect 4-for-4 while holding Swarthmore to just one field goal during the sequence. The Garnet cut it to one possession down the stretch but Haverford closed it out at the stripe, going an unblemished 8-for-8 at the foul line.
 
GARNET LEADERS
Points: Jimenez 22
Rebounds: Caleb Aurelien 12
Assists: Coleman 3
Steals: Jimenez 2
Blocks: Aurelien 1
Threes: Jimenez 2
 
UP NEXT
Swarthmore (13-12) travels to Franklin and Marshall for the Centennial first round on Tuesday.