GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University men's basketball team scored 62 second half points for a 96-79 win over Emerson College in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.
Rowan (22-6) plays Nichols College (26-2) in the second round on Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. Nichols defeated Middlebury College, 74-71 in the first round. Emerson ends the season with a 16-12 record. It was the Lions' first appearance in the NCAA tournament.
Guards
DaRon Curry (sr. Deptford, NJ/Phelps School (PA)) and
Nick DePersia (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Haddonfield Mem.) scored 25 and 24 points respectively. Guard
Rob DePersia (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Haddonfield Mem.) totaled 17 points, seven rebounds and a career-high seven steals. Forward
Austin Kearney (jr. Monroeville, NJ/Gloucester County Christian) contributed with 14 points and seven boards off the bench.
Guard Geoffrey Gray (sr. Newton, MA/Newton South) led Emerson with 22 points and 18 rebounds. Guard Zach Waterhouse (fr. Hampton, NH/Winnecut) produced 21 points while center Jarred Houston (fr. Norwood, MA/Beaver Country Day) added 12. Forward Ben Holding (jr. South Dartmouth, MA/Dartmouth) collected seven boards.
Rowan led 34-33 going into the second half. Houston made a layup and foul shot (18:09), which tied the score at 40. Again the Lions knotted the score at 45 (17:00) with a three by Waterhouse. The Profs pulled away with a 13-3 run to lead by 10 (58-48) with 13:57 left. Kearney nailed two three-pointers,
Rob DePersia had five points and Curry made a basket.
Emerson trailed by eight points (58-50) after Houston's layup at 13:20. Kearney followed with a basket (13:07) and a three (12:44) and
Rob DePersia drilled a three-pointer (12:06) for a 16 point advantage (66-50). Four times Rowan was ahead by 18 points with the last one (89-71) at 3:58 after
Nick DePersia had a layup. The Lions scored six straight points to cut the deficit to 12 (89-77) with 1:57 left. Waterhouse sank three foul shots (3:17) and Gray hit a three (1:57). The Profs ended the game with a 7-2 run for the win.
Nick DePersia registered 16 points in the second stanza while
Rob DePersia and Curry each had 11.
The sectionals are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, March 8 and 9. The semifinals and championship will be held on Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, IN.
