The Jeffs are National Champs!
Behind a double-double from Willy Workman ’13 and a team-high 18 points from Allen Williamson ’13, the Amherst Men’s Basketball team earned the Division III NCAA title with an 87-70 victory over Mary Hardin-Baylor on Sunday.
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Touring Southern California for their season-opening trip, the Men’s tennis team got their 2013 campaign off to a solid start over spring break. Playing 17 matches in six days, the Jeffs underwent a grueling early test and still managed to finish with a 12-5 record. It was an impressive result for this new-look team, who graduated three of its top six players last season; the squad looks poised to make up for those losses with impressive depth and a strong freshman class.
After getting a bye in the opening round of the Division III NCAA Championship, the men’s basketball team opened their tournament play by hosting Plattsburgh State over the weekend.
The second-ranked Jeffs came into the contest riding a 19-game winning streak and were looking to earn their third consecutive Sweet 16 berth. Behind an impressive, offensive outburst from Aaron Toomey ’14, Amherst did just that, riding a big second-half to a lopsided win and keeping their title hopes alive.
The Lord Jeffs are NESCAC Champs!
With victories over Tufts and Williams over the weekend, the men’s basketball team wrapped up their second conference title in as many years. It is Amherst sixth NESCAC Championship overall and secures the team an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship tournament.
In a thrilling triple-overtime epic, the men’s basketball team wrapped up their regular season with a huge victory over No. 3-ranked Middlebury last Tuesday. It was a stunning finish to a game that looked all but wrapped up late in the second half with Amherst nursing a double-digit lead. Yet, a fierce Panthers’ comeback in the last five minutes left the score deadlocked at the end of regulation. Three nip-and-tuck overtime sessions followed, highlighted by an incredible, Sportscenter-worthy basket by Willy Workman ’13 to keep Amherst in the game.
In the midst of one of the most successful stretches in program history, the Men’s Basketball team looked to build on their impressive roll as they faced off against Williams on Sunday, Feb. 10. The Jeffs entered the contest on a 14-game winning streak, having not lost since Dec. 6, and were looking to earn their 12th consecutive victory over their archrivals. Meanwhile, the No. 7-ranked Ephs shared an identical 20-2 record with Amherst and, like the Jeffs, were undefeated in conference play.
In the midst of an 11-game winning streak, the men’s basketball team certainly had a target on their back coming into this week. Since suffering their second loss of the season on Dec. 4, the Jeffs have been practically untouchable, inviting the extra attention of opponents seeking a big upset. Yet, Amherst has not been deterred, beating their opponents by an average of 16.5 points per game en route to one of the most impressive stretches in program history.
