In Dayton, Ohio, a thrilling NCAA Tournament clash unfolded as Mount St. Mary’s emerged victorious over American University with an 83-72 win. Both teams were seeded 16th, competing in the First Four, and the triumph secured Mount St. Mary’s a game against top-seeded Duke in Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday.
Dola Adebayo and Jedy Cordilla were instrumental in the victory, each contributing 22 points for the Mountaineers. Their coach, Donny Lind, expressed his excitement, saying, “When we stood for the national anthem, it felt surreal. It’s amazing to advance and compete against Duke. We need to prepare thoroughly and put forth our best effort.”
For American, Geoff Sprouse led the scoring with 18 points, hitting six 3-pointers from the bench. Elijah Stephens added 12 points to the tally. Reflecting on the outcome, Eagles’ coach Duane Simpkins said, “While this loss stings, we’ll focus on rebuilding our strategy as we welcome six talented freshmen next season. We’re determined to come back stronger.”
American’s season-leading scorer, Matt Rogers, unfortunately injured his knee early in the game. He attempted to continue but had to leave after scoring seven points in eight minutes. Spending the second half on crutches, Rogers’ absence was deeply felt. “I feel awful for him,” stated Lind, acknowledging Rogers’ pivotal role and strong spirit on the court.
In the first 10 minutes, both teams showcased impressive shooting abilities, maintaining over 60% accuracy and combining for an 8 of 19 showing on 3-pointers. Dallas Hobbs, who finished with 17 points, ensured Mount St. Mary’s took a 48-38 lead into halftime by sinking a buzzer-beater 3-pointer.
“This was the biggest game of my life, so I was nervous,” admitted Hobbs. Despite missing their leading 3-point shooter, Carmelo Pacheco, due to injury, Mount St. Mary’s maintained their long-range efficiency in the second half. Malcolm Dread hit a significant 3-pointer, extending their lead to 64-51 with just over 11 minutes remaining.
“Offensively, we were in sync,” commented Lind, giving credit to American’s perseverance despite losing Rogers. The win marked Mount St. Mary’s third victory in NCAA Tournament history, setting the stage for their upcoming challenge against the ACC champions, Duke.
Hobbs highlighted the significance of the win for Mount St. Mary’s, stating, “This means a lot to our university. Facing Duke, we’ll stick to our strategy and hopefully achieve a great outcome.”
The matchup was the 71st meeting between these neighboring schools. Although American had secured victories in the last four games, they now hold a slight edge in the historical series at 37-34.
