Stockton Defeats Penn State Behrend for 2017 DIII Men's Basketball Crown
BRACKET | CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL |
BOX SCORE
ERIE, Pa. - The Stockton University Ospreys (18-11) have been crowned champions of the 2017 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Men's Basketball Championship presented by
Visit Myrtle Beach.
Stockton and Penn State Behrend (21-8) went down to the wire in a thrilling championship matchup.
Leading Scorers:
Kashaun Barnes (Stockton) 25 points
Mike Fischer (Penn State Behrend) 15 points
Justin Gorny (Penn State Behrend) 13 points
Malquan Pullium (Penn State Behrend) 13 points
Marcus Harmon (Stockton) 12 points
Zavon Johnson (Stockton) 12 points
Stockton came from behind and defeated Penn State Behrend 74-72 to win the ECAC championship in men's basketball for the first time. The Ospreys won four games in a five-day span to win the 12-team tourney and their first ECAC crown.
Barnes scored a career-high 25 points, grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and was selected MVP of the ECAC tournament. Barnes averaged 16.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during Stockton's four-win march to the title.
Harmon scored 12 points and joined Barnes on the All-Tournament Team.
Johnson went 4-4 from three-point range for 12 points.
Tom Catanoso and
Brandon Hamilton contributed 11 points apiece. As a team, the Ospreys sank a season-high 15 three-pointers and shot 44.1 percent (15-34) from beyond the arc.
The teams traded points early before Penn State Behrend created some separation. Stockton fell behind 36-22 with 3:02 left in the first half and still trailed 38-28 at intermission. Barnes practically carried the offense with 15 first-half points while no other Osprey scored more than six.
In the first nine minutes of the second half, Harmon scored seven points followed by Hamilton with six and Barnes with five as Stockton closed the gap to three, 50-47. Johnson then sandwiched two three-pointers around a Behrend layup to draw the Ospreys within one at 54-53 with 7:26 remaining.
Hamilton tied it at 58 with a layup at the 6:03 mark, the first of four ties down the stretch. The fourth came at 68-68 after a Lions' three-pointer with 1:50 on the clock. Johnson sank a clutch three-pointer on Stockton's next possession to give the Ospreys the lead for good at 71-68.
A three-point play by Hamilton made it 74-70 with 1:02 to go but the Lions answered quickly to cut it to 74-72. After a Stockton turnover, Penn State Behrend missed a jumper at the 11-second mark. A missed Stockton free throw gave the Lions one last chance but their three-point try in the final seconds was off the mark and Stockton captured the ECAC championship, 74-72.
2017 ECAC Division III Men's Basketball Championship, presented by Visit Myrtle Beach All-Tournament Team Selection:
Andrew Williams - Bethany College
Deontay Scott - Westminster College
Malquan Pullium - Penn State Behrend
Marcus Harmon - Stockton University
Kashaun Barnes - Stockton University
Kashaun Barnes from Stockton was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
Championship - Sunday, March 5 - hosted at Penn State Behrend at 1:00 pm
Stockton University (18-11) def. Penn State Behrend (21-8), 74-72
For all the latest results and box scores visit the
2017 ECAC Men's Basketball Tournament Central.
ABOUT THE ECAC
In the 76 years since its inception, the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has emerged as the nation's largest Conference. The ECAC has grown considerably from its charter membership of 58, boasting over 300 member schools in Divisions I, II and III, ranging in location from Maine to Georgia, and westerly to Missouri. In the 2015-16 academic year, the ECAC will host nearly 100 championships in 32 men's and women's sports as the sponsors of over 5,800 varsity teams and 111,000 male and female athletes. For more information, visit
www.ecacsports.com.
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