Graduate student Kyle Beedon drives to the net against Eureka. (Rachel Benitez-Borrego | Staff Photographer)

With 25 seconds left in regulation, the No. 5 WashU men’s basketball team was in danger of suffering its first loss of the season. RV University of St. Thomas (Texas) had battled back from an early deficit and had just sunk a free throw to take a 53-52 lead. With one possession left, the Bears needed a bucket — and so they put the ball in Connor May’s hands.

Off an inbound pass from sophomore Anthony Przybilla, the second-year forward caught the ball near the top of the key with just a single defender in his view. Without hesitation, May broke to his right, dribbling twice. A second St. Thomas defender shifted over to double-team May, but it was too late. With his momentum carrying him out of bounds, May put up an off-balance floater near the baseline. The shot swished through the basket, and the bench and crowd erupted as the Bears took a lead they would not relinquish.

Twenty seconds later, a final defensive stand secured the Bears’ victory — their third of the season, their third straight Lopata Classic title, and their 29th tournament win in the event’s 41-year history.

Across two wins over the Nov. 14 weekend, the Bears proved their versatility, showcasing their offensive dominance in one game and displaying their gritty defense in the next.

“It doesn’t have to be aesthetically pleasing or a Picasso,” head coach Pat Juckem said about Saturday’s win over St. Thomas. “There is more than one way to get it done.”

On the other hand, the Bears’ win against Eureka College on Friday, Nov. 14 was a blowout right from tipoff. Midway through the first half, the Bears were already up 28-6.  Eureka seemed stifled from the beginning, unable to get any good looks en route to a 100-53 final score. WashU held its opponents to shoot just 30% from the field in the first half and 34% overall. WashU forced 21 Red Devils turnovers with constant pressure, and the Bears were able to capitalize and dominate in transition, scoring 26 points off turnovers in the contest.

The victory over Eureka was a sign of the Bears’ early-season strength. Ranked No. 5 in the nation going into the tournament, WashU’s performance on Friday showed that it could handle the opponents it should and not let inferior teams hang around. Still, despite the 47-point victory, Juckem remained measured. 

“I think we’re pretty good,” Juckem said. “But we’ve got to get a lot better … We scored 100 … but over the course of a season, you’ve got to find different ways.”

The blowout allowed WashU to empty its bench, with all 16 available players entering the game and no player recording more than 20 minutes. Most impressive was the production from the sophomore class, with the two leading scorers of the game being second-year Bear’s reserves: Przybilla and guard Lleyton Thomas-Johnson. Both led the match with 14 points each, despite only playing 18 and 15 minutes, respectively. With the second game of a back-to-back looming, much of the Bears’ rotation was able to stay rested for the Lopata Classic Championship game. 

On Saturday, Przybilla entered the starting lineup in place of senior guard Yogi Oliff, who was out with a hamstring injury. It was the first career start for Przybilla, who was injured and played just nine games off the bench last season.

“Coach let me know in the morning, told me I was going to be [starting and] bringing the ball up a lot,” Przybilla said. “But it doesn’t start with me; it starts with the whole team. Every single day, all of the work we put in. You can see it on the court.”

The decision to start Przybilla paid immediate dividends. The Bears got out to an early 16-4 advantage. But the Celts battled back, taking a 26-22 advantage at halftime. The Bears trailed by as many as 12 in the second half, but they were able to remain within striking distance. May, Przybilla, and junior guard Ryan Cohen knocked down 3-pointers on three consecutive possessions to take the lead with just under four minutes of play. From then on, it was one-possession basketball.

Ultimately, the Bears’ defensive cohesion and clutch shot-making were able to outduel the gritty playstyle of St. Thomas. May had 21 points and 7 rebounds, including the game-winner. Przybilla added 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists and was named the tournament’s most valuable player, joining May on the all-tournament team.

“Anthony stepped forward. You can really see his confidence growing,” Juckem said about Przybilla. 

Looking forward, the Bears have the weekend off before facing Wabash College next Monday at home. They’ll then look to continue their hot start the following weekend in the All-Academic Classic on Nov. 29 and 30.

Staff Writer Roman Peterson contributed reporting to this article