Dan DaranciangBefore a raucous crowd, the Washington University men’s basketball team defeated visiting and nationally-ranked No. 24 New York University Friday night at the Washington University Field House.
The thrilling, come-from-behind upset victory kept the Bears atop the University Athletic Association (UAA) standings.
The game began inauspiciously for the University, as the visiting Violets jumped out to what seemed to be a comfortable 37-22 halftime lead. NYU extended its lead to 17 points early in the second frame, but the University went on a 13-0 run to claw its way back into the game.
Using a combination of three-pointers, offensive rebounds and put-backs and solid ball movement, the University narrowed the score to 44-40.
After NYU extended its lead to nine points, the Bears rallied again. Back-to-back treys by junior Nick Nikitas and senior Scott Stone, then four straight points from sophomore forward Troy Ruths, gave the hosts a 52-51 advantage.
Ruths later cemented the lead as he threw down a tremendous two-handed dunk off of a beautiful feed from freshman point guard Sean Wallis.
This unlikely second-half comeback was sparked by the Bears’ five-for-nine shooting from beyond the three-point arch. The University also held a 45-35 advantage in rebounding and the dominant inside-outside duo of Ruths (15 points, 13 rebounds) and Stone (19 points, three three-pointers) proved too much for the overextended Violet defense.
In addition to the strong performances by Ruths and Stone, Wallis dished out seven assists along with just one turnover.
On Sunday, the University continued its trend of come-back victories, this time coming from behind to defeat the visiting Brandeis Judges, 61-52.
The guests jumped out to a 36-27 halftime edge, as Brandeis shooting guard Steve DeLuca torched the Bears for 15 first half points. The Judges also owned the glass, out-rebounding the University 26-8 in the early-going.
Fortunately for the Bears, the second half looked entirely different than the first. Much like Friday night’s contest, the University went on a 13-0 run in the second half. After DeLuca opened the second stanza with a basket, the Bears rattled off 13 in a row and took a 40-38 lead.
The score fluctuated throughout the second half, but strong foul shooting down the stretch propelled the Bears to a nine-point victory, a total which belied the closeness of the score in this key league contest.
Ruths (11 points), Stone (12 points), and freshman Tyler Nadling (12 points) all cracked double figures for the University. The Bears moved to 12-4 overall with the win. They remain tied atop the UAA league standings with Carnegie Mellon at 4-1.
The University returns to action next Friday when it hosts defending league champion and national championship finalist University of Rochester at 8 p.m. at home.
The team will then continue UAA play when they host Carnegie Mellon University on Sunday, Jan. 29 at noon.