In a game that featured multiple runs by both teams, The Juice was able to pull away from Strictly Business 21-19. Neither team was ever able to mount more than a three-point lead throughout the game.
The teams each started out using tough defenses that both offenses had trouble adjusting to, until they both started to make their outside shots. Strictly Business, led by Irish linebacker Kerry Neal, who was able to score the first four points for his team, and score nine of his team's 19 points overall.
It seemed at the beginning of the game that Strictly Business would be able to run away with the game, when they pulled out to the early 4-1 lead, but The Juice methodically picked away at the lead, and was able to take a 9-8 lead. The score at halftime was Strictly Business leading 11-10.
The Juice came out firing in the second half and took a 14-11 lead. Strictly Business mounted a comeback, however, scoring the next five points. The game of runs continued with the next four points coming from The Juice. The Juice finished Strictly Business off after they let them crawl to within 20-19.
The Juice was led by Mike Bednarczyk who scored nine points for his team, while also scoring the last two points of the game. Corey Fitzpatrick was also instrumental in his team's victory pulling down multiple rebounds and blocking a couple of shots as Strictly Business tried to pull even.
To Catch a Predator vs. Haranbody's Offspring
In a match-up that featured an incredibly slow start and an exhilarating finish, To Catch A Predator was able to come out on top of Haranbody's Offspring 22-20.
The game started out with To Catch A Predator hitting four of its first six shots but being unable to score for a while after that. Haranbody's Offspring, on the other hand started off ice-cold, and were only able to heat up later in the game. The cold night seemed to affect both of the team's shooting as the first half took almost 45 minutes by itself.
However, in the second half, both teams were able to pick up the scoring as well as their intensity. Despite being down 11-9, Haranbody's Offspring was able to make a comeback and held a 20-18 lead with the ball and a chance to win the game. The ball was stolen, however, and To Catch A Predator capitalized, with Tim Wallace hitting a jumper. Wallace hit two more shots after tough defensive stands by To Catch a Predator, and they took a 21-20 lead.
Haranbody's Offspring tried to bring the ball down the court to extend the game a little bit longer, but Mike Manny made a great play on the ball, and forced a steal. He then passed to Tim Long who hit a jumper from the free throw line to win the game.
To Catch A Predator was propelled by Tim Wallace who had 13 of his team's 22 points as well as Mike Manny who played excellent defense all game long while contributing four points.
No. 15 The Dark Knights ... and Nate 21, No. 18 Engineering Giants 12
The Engineering Giants jumped out to an early first half lead by utilizing their height effectively. They also were helped out by the wind, which impacted some shots from The Dark Knights ... and Nate, but the determined 15-seed went on a little run to take an 11-9 halftime lead.
The second half opened with three straight buckets from The Knights, who were on their way to dominating the last 20 minutes of the game. Shots from senior captain Milo Dodson were key in the victory.
"The wind played a good factor in [our shots], but we kind of just had to adjust our game to take lay-ups as opposed to just taking jumpers," Dodson said. "We also got offensive rebounds and put-backs by [senior] Nate [Prochaska]. He definitely carried us down-low as well as [senior] Leo [Ferrine] getting easy lay-ups and just playing physical."
The Knights' defense was also integral to their win.
"First, [The Dark Knights ... and Nate] were in a zone [in the first half], and so we were able to get more open looks," said captain Mike Crocker, a computer engineering graduate student of the Engineering Giants. "Then they switched to man-to-man, and they play a tough man-to-man. That was probably the biggest difference - that, and in the second half, we just did not shoot as well."
Crocker said the reason for his team's loss was simple.
"We had to play very well to win, and we didn't play as well as we needed to," he said.
No. 10 The Delivery Boys 21, No. 23 Muhammad Ali Enterprises 8
Freshman David Rudy put up 10 baskets for The Delivery Boys in a dominating victory over Muhammad Ali Enterprises. The Delivery Boys scored quickly on the fast break and were never down in a match-up that is certain to go down as one of the fastest games played in the round of 32.
Lay-up after lay-up fell for Rudy and the rest of The Delivery Boys as they jumped to an 11-2 halftime lead by running their opponents off the court. After the break, Muhammad Ali Enterprises lost their focus and began chucking half-court shots including one made by junior Asaph Schwapp.
"We need to work on our dunking, but I think we'll have a lot tougher competition coming up," junior captain Kevin Kelly of The Delivery Boys said.
"We didn't condition too much in any of our practices," Muhammad Ali Enterprises captain Kevin Washington said. "We had about two of them, and they consisted of NCAA [Basketball video games]. We were practicing on game sticks. Those plays didn't work out too well for us. The other team just ran up and down the court, and we couldn't hang with them."
No. 11 Mathletes 21, No. 22 I Can't Believe We're So Butter...SPRAY! 14
This contest started off on a slow pace as baskets were not dropping for either team until the Mathletes exploded from a 3-2 score to an 11-4 halftime lead.
"In the first half, we were getting good looks, and we just couldn't convert," I Can't Believe We're So Butter...SPRAY! captain Rick Loesing said. "They were using their athleticism, and they were pushing the ball on us pretty well. We were playing good defense, but they were converting on their shots. We just couldn't hit ours."
The No. 22 seed came out of halftime poised to make a comeback. At first, it seemed like the Mathletes could not put I Can't Believe We're So Butter...SPRAY! away in a game that got immediately more competitive. Loesing and junior Pete Leonard buried some nice jumpers from the backcourt, and senior Fritz Shadley played well on the inside.
But it was too little, too late as the teams were trading buckets down the stretch.
"They were a really good team - definitely our closest game yet," Mathletes captain Peter Kelly said. "We're just really a strong group. We complement each other pretty well. Camouflage was tough to see, but I caught him sometimes."
Loesing was resigned about the loss.
"We started getting warmed up at the end of the first half, and then we started feeling good in the second half," Loesing said. "We kept getting open looks, and we just starting converting. [However], at that point, it was too late. They were still shooting well, and by that time, it was over."
