March 14, 2005
CARLETON TAKES THIRD STRAIGHT WILSON CUP
ST. CATHARINES, ON - The No. 2 Brock Badgers (19-3, 2-1) fell to the top-ranked Carleton Ravens (22-0, 3-0), 61-58, in the OUA Wilson Cup as the top two teams in the nation squared off for first time in CIS history in a conference championship. Carleton clinches their third consecutive provincial crown and extends their record OUA/CIS regular and post-season win streak to 75 games.
The fifth sell-out of the season at Bob Davis Gymnasium witnessed a battle that lived up to the hype surrounding the contest. The lead changed hands 11 times and the largest lead of the game was a modest eight-points by Carleton near the close of the first. Brock even had an opportunity to tie the game at the end of regulation with Morgan Fairweather (London, ON) missing a three-pointer with just two seconds on the game clock.
Brock was snake-bitten by poor free-throw shooting, making just seven of their 18 trips to the line. Carleton meanwhile missed just five of the penalty shots shooting 14 of 19. It ultimately proved the key differential as Brock out-shot Carleton .375 (21-56) versus .333 (19-57) in a closely contested defensive struggle. Brock was also out-rebounded for just the seventh time this season 43-40. Brock is 26-2 when gaining the advantage on the glass.
Carleton's Michael Smart was named OUA Wilson Cup Player of the Game providing 17 points, five assists, and four rebounds for the Ravens. Smart shared the game high with Brock's OUA MVP Kevin Stienstra (Vineland, ON) who fought through double teams to shoot 7-12 for 17 points and 15 rebounds. Brock had four scorers in double figures.
Brock trailed 37-31 at the half and need just over six minutes to tie the game at 40 apiece as Brad Rootes (Niagara Falls, ON) hit a three-pointer. The game-tying basket ignited the crowd and really seemed to sway the momentum in Brock's favour. Just under two minutes later at 12:00 Kevin French (Burlington,
ON) drained another Badger three to give Brock a 45-42 advantage, their first lead of the second half.
Stienstra built a four-point cushion for the Badgers at 8:29, taking the feed from Rootes, his sixth assist, for the bucket underneath. But with the hometown crowd on its feet Carleton responded by scoring seven unanswered points to re-take the lead. With just over four minutes remaining Smart found two-time CIS MVP Osvaldo Jeanty for an open three to put the Carleton lead at four.
Brock cut the deficit to three points at 1:44 and were forced to foul. Rookie Stuart Turnbull made the first of the one-and-one but missed the second putting the score at 59-55 with just 18 seconds on the clock. French made a mad dash down the court and found Scott Murray (Welland, ON) who rotated the ball to Fairweather who hit the three to put Brock within one and just twelve seconds remaining.
Brock quickly fouled Jeanty off the in-bound and sent him to the line. Jeanty made both meaning Brock needed a three to send the game to overtime. Brock scrambled down the floor and found Fairweather who put up a very difficult attempt at the buzzer that failed to fall. Fairweather finished with 12 points and was 4-8 from long range. Both sides put up a combined 49 three-pointers. Carleton's first four baskets of the game came from beyond the arc.
The loss ends Brock's streak at 13 games, one shy of tying the school record. Despite heading into the CIS National Championships on a losing note it is unlikely to change Brock's current #2 national ranking, with the rankings and seedings being announced tonight. With Carleton and Brock remaining No. 1 and No. 2 it allows for the potential that both teams could meet again the Championship game.
The CIS National Championships take place in Halifax March 17-20 at the Halifax Metro Centre.
(Source: Mike Tucker, Brock Basketball Sports Information)
The fifth sell-out of the season at Bob Davis Gymnasium witnessed a battle that lived up to the hype surrounding the contest. The lead changed hands 11 times and the largest lead of the game was a modest eight-points by Carleton near the close of the first. Brock even had an opportunity to tie the game at the end of regulation with Morgan Fairweather (London, ON) missing a three-pointer with just two seconds on the game clock.
Brock was snake-bitten by poor free-throw shooting, making just seven of their 18 trips to the line. Carleton meanwhile missed just five of the penalty shots shooting 14 of 19. It ultimately proved the key differential as Brock out-shot Carleton .375 (21-56) versus .333 (19-57) in a closely contested defensive struggle. Brock was also out-rebounded for just the seventh time this season 43-40. Brock is 26-2 when gaining the advantage on the glass.
Carleton's Michael Smart was named OUA Wilson Cup Player of the Game providing 17 points, five assists, and four rebounds for the Ravens. Smart shared the game high with Brock's OUA MVP Kevin Stienstra (Vineland, ON) who fought through double teams to shoot 7-12 for 17 points and 15 rebounds. Brock had four scorers in double figures.
Brock trailed 37-31 at the half and need just over six minutes to tie the game at 40 apiece as Brad Rootes (Niagara Falls, ON) hit a three-pointer. The game-tying basket ignited the crowd and really seemed to sway the momentum in Brock's favour. Just under two minutes later at 12:00 Kevin French (Burlington,
ON) drained another Badger three to give Brock a 45-42 advantage, their first lead of the second half.
Stienstra built a four-point cushion for the Badgers at 8:29, taking the feed from Rootes, his sixth assist, for the bucket underneath. But with the hometown crowd on its feet Carleton responded by scoring seven unanswered points to re-take the lead. With just over four minutes remaining Smart found two-time CIS MVP Osvaldo Jeanty for an open three to put the Carleton lead at four.
Brock cut the deficit to three points at 1:44 and were forced to foul. Rookie Stuart Turnbull made the first of the one-and-one but missed the second putting the score at 59-55 with just 18 seconds on the clock. French made a mad dash down the court and found Scott Murray (Welland, ON) who rotated the ball to Fairweather who hit the three to put Brock within one and just twelve seconds remaining.
Brock quickly fouled Jeanty off the in-bound and sent him to the line. Jeanty made both meaning Brock needed a three to send the game to overtime. Brock scrambled down the floor and found Fairweather who put up a very difficult attempt at the buzzer that failed to fall. Fairweather finished with 12 points and was 4-8 from long range. Both sides put up a combined 49 three-pointers. Carleton's first four baskets of the game came from beyond the arc.
The loss ends Brock's streak at 13 games, one shy of tying the school record. Despite heading into the CIS National Championships on a losing note it is unlikely to change Brock's current #2 national ranking, with the rankings and seedings being announced tonight. With Carleton and Brock remaining No. 1 and No. 2 it allows for the potential that both teams could meet again the Championship game.
The CIS National Championships take place in Halifax March 17-20 at the Halifax Metro Centre.
(Source: Mike Tucker, Brock Basketball Sports Information)
