Dan DaranciangCoach Mark Edwards and the Washington University men’s basketball team returned home Sunday night victorious and in high spirits after upsetting University Athletic Association (UAA) rivals Brandeis University and New York University. The Bears won their last four conference games, including wins against Brandeis Friday night, 78-68, and NYU Sunday afternoon, 63-59. The Red and Green now find themselves in a first-place tie in the UAA standings with No. 24 Carnegie Mellon. Coach Edwards’ squad (17-7, 9-4 UAA) will play their last conference game this Saturday at the University of Chicago.
A key factor in the Bears’ recent success has been sophomore standout Danny O’Boyle. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native shined this weekend with eight-of-10 three-pointers, shooting an impressive 80 percent from behind the arc. O’Boyle led all scores with 23 points against Brandeis and 17 points against NYU. The sharpshooter leads the Bears in three-point shooting percentage, shooting .469 from behind the arc for the year.
A very unselfish O’Boyle attributes his shooting success to his teammates.
“The success I have been having on the court has had a lot to do with the other guys on the team,” he said. “Having not been a primary scorer for most of the season, I feel that other teams have given more attention to some other guys on the team. I have tried to use this to my advantage when I am on the floor. The point guards have also done an awesome job recognizing when I am shooting the ball well by finding me within the offense.”
Even more impressive, O’Boyle only averages 14.7 minutes per game and still ranks fifth on the Bears’ scoring list with 8.1 points per game. He has consistently shown the ability to come off the bench and instantly contribute, such as when as he scored eight points in 73 seconds against NYU on Sunday. As a result, he has seen a lot more minutes in conference play and in clutch games.
“Coach [Edwards] has shown a lot of confidence in me by playing me more minutes,” said O’Boyle. “Being on the floor when the game is on the line has given me more confidence in myself. I always feel that I am going to shoot the ball well, and lately, the bounces have just been going my way. It has been a blast, though, being able to contribute to the team’s success.”
O’Boyle’s sophomore counterpart Troy Ruths continues to lead the Bears in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Ruths added 12 points and eight rebounds in the win against Brandeis, while senior captain Scott Stone had 17 points and five assists in the win. Stone continues to break records as he hit his 200th career three-pointer, becoming just the second player in school history to record the feat.
Against NYU Sunday, senior Mike Grunst used his seven-foot stature to his advantage, recording his third double-double of the year, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in the effort. Freshman point guard Sean Wallis added 10 points, connecting on six-of-six free throws, while also chipping in three assists. The win for the Bears was the 200th victory in UAA history, becoming the first team to record 200 or more wins. Since the 1987-’88 season, the Bears have compiled an impressive UAA overall record of 200-62 (.763).
The Bears have proven they are capable of winning big games and have put themselves right back in the hunt to be conference champions. Although they will not receive an automatic bid to the Division III NCAA tournament, since they have lost to Carnegie Mellon twice, with the expansion of the tournament this year and an impressive comeback in their conference, the Bears have convincing reasons to remain hopeful.
“We have to win on Saturday, and hope for a little luck in other games across the country if we are to get a bid into the national tournament,” explained O’Boyle. “The team has really played with a sense of urgency over the past couple weeks. We’re playing with nothing to lose. We have a dangerous combination of players and if we are to make the tournament, we are the type of team that can beat anybody.”
The squad (17-7, 9-4 UAA) returns to action Sat., Feb. 25, at the University of Chicago. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. at the Gerald Ratner Athletics Center, in Chicago. If the Bears are able to defeat Chicago, they will put themselves in a very good place to earn a tournament bid.