Last weekend, men’s basketball (21-6, 9-1 NESCAC) defeated the sixth-seeded Amherst Mammoths (15- 11, 5-5 NESCAC) on Feb. 24. However, the Ephs faced a nail-biting loss against the second-seeded Trinity Bantams (26-1, 9-1 NESCAC) in the NESCAC Championship game on Feb. 25. The NESCAC Tournament was held in Chandler Gymnasium following a nearly spotless conference record during the regular season, which earned the Ephs both the first seed in the tournament and homecourt advantage. Despite their loss in the championship game, the Ephs received an at-large bid to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
The Ephs maintained an aggressive offense in the semifinal game against the Mammoths, building momentum in the first period. Both teams came into the game with strong offensive moves, with a notable layup and assist by forward Brandon Roughley ’24.5 and guard Dan Lee ’24, as well as a smooth 3-pointer by guard Sammy Cooley ’26 right when the shock clock buzzed, setting the halftime score at 31-21.
During the second half of the game, the Ephs continued to command the court, maintaining a double digit lead until the end, at one point holding a 17 point lead over the Mammoths. Forward Hudson Hansen ’26 knocked in a firm back dunk followed by several foul shots from other teammates in the last 10 minutes. Ultimately, the Ephs triumphed 57-43 in the semifinals.
“We had lost our previous game to Amherst, and obviously [them] being our rival school, we wanted that [win] more than anything,” Hansen told the Record. “I think we definitely showed that Saturday night.”
Guard Alex Stoddard ’23.5 reiterated the team’s persistence and ambitious spirit against Amherst. “We played them two or three times every year, so we had a really good gameplan coming into it,” he said. “We knew who we needed to focus on on their team.”
Head Coach Kevin App expressed his pride in the memorable strides they’ve achieved throughout the season. The decisive victory marks the third matchup between the Ephs and the Mammoths this season, following a two-point win over the Mammoths on Jan. 5 and an on-the-road loss on Jan. 17. “They came out focused against Amherst and had a fun game Saturday,” App said in an interview with the Record. “They really wanted to get to that championship game Sunday, and they made it happen.”
Despite a strong defensive game, the Ephs fell to the Trinity Bantams during the NESCAC Championship the following day. Although the Ephs held a nine-point lead before halftime, Trinity once again proved to be an admirable adversary, scoring frequent layups and controlling the offensive play throughout the matchup.
As the game progressed, the Ephs remained steadfast and determined to narrow and hopefully even reverse the deficit. Several fouls and free throws in the last minutes, however, allowed the Bantams to rise up the scoreboard, arriving at 55-44 with just over one minute remaining. Right after, guards Stoddard and Alex Lee ’26 each made impressive triples, but the Ephs could not reverse the deficits, ending the game 52-59.
App noted that the game marked the Ephs’ first loss at home this season. “I don’t think many of those wins at home were easy,” App said. “We had a buzzer-beater, a couple of overtime wins, and a 20 point comeback.”
“The guys really embodied the competitive spirit that they wanted it to be about, and I was proud to be a part of that kind of journey,” he added.
Despite the loss, the Ephs were awarded an at-large bid by the NCAA Div. III selection committee for a spot in the NCAA Div. III Championships during the livestreamed annual men’s selection show on Feb. 26. The Ephs will take on DeSales University (24-3) in the opening round of the tournament on March 1 in Oswego, N.Y. Ahead of the matchup, the d3hoops.com national men’s poll ranked the Ephs No. 21 and DeSales No. 18.
“It’s an honor every time you get to make the national tournament,” App said. “It’s a tip of the hat to the guys and how hard they worked and the success they had this season.”
Lee and Hansen also both reflected on their season and reiterated their undeterred motivation. “This season, we’ve had a lot of adversity, a lot of injuries, and ups and downs,” Lee said. “But those experiences have gotten us to where we are right now.”
“We’re just excited to go,” Hansen added. “Every game we win means more time we get to spend together.”
