NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal Game - Amherst vs UST 3-8-19

As enticing as the first game on the slate on this Friday night was, the main entree figured to be an absolute barn-burner and it would definitely live up to the hype.  Amherst; the defending national champions out of the mighty NESCAC was in town to take on host UST with a berth opposite of early-game winner Wartburg in the Regional Final at stake.  This would be my first ever-look at Amherst (or any NESCAC team for that matter) so I was definitely excited about this contest.  To show you what an incredible program this Amherst program really is, you have to consider that the Mammoths "slipped" this year a bit; finishing second in the NESCAC; losing to arch-rivals Bowdoin and Tufts (both of whom made the Final Four down in Rochester last year as well) and had a "sub par" year thus far at 25-3; a record that most teams would kill for.  This game would be arguably be the biggest test ever for the host Tommies - certainly on their home floor anyway - whose only blemish on the year came against said Wartburg team down in Waverly, Iowa right before the first of the year.  And the UST student body was in full force for this epic battle about to take place.

UST Head Coach Ruth Sinn probably couldn't have asked for a better start for her team as the Tommies bolted out to a quick 5-0 lead as senior All-American post Hannah Spaulding got into the paint for two scores - once at the 9:36 mark of the opening period that drew a foul in the process and allowed the former Annandale standout to sink the obligatory free throw and again at the 8:52 mark.  Amherst standout junior guard Madeline Eck would cut the deficit to three points with her lay-up at the 8:36 mark and a jumper along the right baseline by fellow junior guard Hannah Fox at the 6:55 mark kept the Mammoths in that three-point range down 7-4.  UST would open up some more space as senior point guard Kaylie Brazil drained a "3" from the top of the key at the 6:26 mark and yet another routine score in the paint by Spaulding at the 5:39 mark now had the Tommies up eight at 12-4.  But this Amherst team responded like the tournament-tough team it is as Eck would get back-to-back scores - a lay-up with 4:16 left and a score in the paint with 3:12 left - that had the Mammoths right back in the thick of things again down 12-8.  UST's Spaulding would get still another score in the paint with 1:33 left to get the Tommies a bit more breathing room up 14-8 but right back came Amherst as two free throws by freshman reserve guard Courtney Resch with after she was fouled with 1:14 left and a three-point bomb from the top of the key by junior guard forward Cam Hendricks with :29 left gave every indication that this game was going to be an instant classic with the Mammoths down only 14-13. 

Amherst poked its nose out in front for the first time on this night as Eck maneuvered into the paint for a pretty score at the 9:35 mark but the Tommies would respond with an 8-0 run to take the lead right back.  Two free throws by sophomore guard/forward Kaia Porter at the 9:08 mark after she was fouled pushed UST ahead again at 16-15 and then senior guard Lucia Renikoff buried a "3" from the left corner at the 7:07 mark to make it a 19-15 game.  Spaulding would get one free throw to go down at the 6:02 mark after she was fouled and followed that up with yet another routine score in the paint at the 5:10 mark to cap this important run and with it, a 22-15 lead.  The Mammoths broke their little drought when freshman reserve forward Jade DuVal connected with a lay-up with 3:25 left but UST would control the home stretch of this second period and get a bit more breathing room with it as well.  A Porter score in the paint with 3:07 left got the lead back to seven points again at 24-17 and a Spaulding lay-up now had the Tommies up nine at 26-17 and Amherst would be held scoreless the rest of the way as UST took a somewhat impressive lead with them into the locker room at intermission.  The score alone indicated how defense dominated this first half and the halftime box score shows what a battle it was so far.  The Tommies held a slight edge on the boards at 18-16 and turnovers were minimal thus far with Amherst committing six and UST five.  Like the first game, it really came down to the shooting and the Tommies definitely had the edge here going 10-25 from FG range for 40% and 2-7 from behind the arc for 28.6%.  The Mammoths meanwhile were only 7-26 from FG range for 26.9% and only 1-8 from downtown for 12.5% and Amherst Head Coach G. P. Gromacki and his staff certainly had some tinkering to do during the halftime break. 

The Tommies appeared to have their opponent behind the eight-ball in the early moments of the third period as a score in the paint by Spaulding at the 9:49 mark and a Brazil lay-up at the 7:27 mark now had UST up by double-digits at 30-19 and a concerned Gromacki of Amherst called a thirty-second timeout to discuss things with his team as the Mammoths' situation suddenly looked precarious.  But the one thing you have to remember about this Amherst team is that they are incredibly resourceful and they don't panic and they came out of this short stoppage in play with a renewed focus and determination.  A Fox "3" from the left corner at the 6:56 mark helped spark a 13-0 explosion that not only got the Mammoths going again but quieted the raucous UST student section as well.  Resch would drain a "3" of her own from the right top area at the 6:13 mark that cut the deficit down to five points at 30-25 and then Eck would knock down a jumper from the left top area just inside the arc at the 5:41 mark that suddenly had Amherst back within a single possession down 30-27.  Then Fox would strike like a thief in the night as she would snare a steal and race the other way for an easy lay-up that reduced the deficit to a single solitary point at 30-29 with 3:46 left.  A hushed and shocked UST contingent watched as the Mammoths' Eck propel her team back into the lead with a pretty reverse lay-up with 3:05 left and the Tommies' Sinn had to call a thirty-second timeout of her own to get her squad regrouped and calmed down.  Still, Amherst's Eck wowed the crowd again with a drive and finish with 2:31 left to cap this big run before UST could finally find some solid footing again.  Porter would bang home a huge "3" from the right top area with 2:13 left to tie the game at 33 and Brazil would knock down a jumper from the free throw line off the glass with :16 left in this third period to push the Tommies back into the lead again at 35-33 but this big run by Amherst had arguably taken some of the wind out of UST's sail and, more importantly, they were back on even terms with their opponent as well. 

If you like drama; particularly in a basketball setting, the fourth period of this epic contest would have definitely been for you as it most certainly was not for the faint of heart.  The Mammoths regained the lead in this game when Resch buried a "3" from the left corner at the 9:10 mark but UST would take it right back as Spaulding grabbed an offensive rebound for a putback at the 8:11 mark and a drive and short jumper off the glass by Renikoff at the 6:46 mark got the Tommies a 39-36 advantage.  Freshman reserve post Brynne Rolland's score in the paint upped this lead to five points at 41-36 with 4:29 left and it may have appeared that UST might have been in position to take this game over again but, before anyone could even think about relaxing, right back came the Mammoths.  Resch drained a heart-breaking "3" from the left wing area with 3:59 left to quickly close the gap to two points.  The Tommies again tried to get more breathing room as one Spaulding freebie with 3:33 left and another with 3:17 left got the lead to four points at 43-39 and now Amherst's Resch was tagged with her fourth foul as well.  But that little inconvenience sure didn't seem to faze the San Francisco, California native as she would come back on the Mammoths' ensuing possession and drain yet another dagger "3" - this one from the left corner with 2:59 left  - that reduced the deficit again to a scant point at 43-42.  Spaulding would come right back for UST on their next possession as she was fouled with 2:28 left and got both free throws to go down to make it a 45-42 ballgame.  And this answer-answer, answer-answer nail-biting drama continued.  Amherst's Eck would connect with a lay-up with 2:16 left to get the deficit down to one point again and UST's Renikoff would do the same on the other end with 2:03 left to make it 47-44.  Then it would be the Mammoths' Eck AGAIN with 1:33 left as she connected with a lay-up that hushed the UST student section (again) that also drew a foul and although the Rye, New York native couldn't cash in on the ensuing "and one", the deficit again was reduced to one at 47-46.  So, on the Tommies' ensuing possession,  Spaulding would connect with a lay-up to push the lead to three again at 49-46.  Right back came Amherst's Eck on their ensuing possession as she connected with a lay-up with :53 left in regulation to get it down to one again at 49-48.  On UST's next possession, the Tommies worked the ball carefully around the perimeter; looking for the right opportunity and they eventually got the ball to Porter who would connect with a lay-up with :24 left in regulation to make it a 51-48 ballgame.  By this time, if you did not feel your heart about ready to beat out of your chest, you simply had no soul.  Amhert's Gromacki called a timeout to try and draw up a play for a three-point shot in hopes of sending this one to overtime.  On the Mammoth's ensuing possession, UST still had a foul to give and Porter would use that up with :16 seconds.  On the inbounds pass, Amherst got into a heap of trouble and Gromacki called a thirty-second timeout to avert disaster.  Still, UST's defense was stubborn enough to prevent a good open look that Gromacki had to use one more timeout with just :01.3 left on the clock in hopes of drawing up a miracle play.  Somehow, through the grace of God - or perhaps just pure great planning and great execution, the Mammoths got that miracle.  On the sideline inbounds pass, Eck waited patiently with the ball while the other four Mammoth players were line up near the free throw line.  With the official counting the five second count, the Mammoth players scattered to various places but Hendricks held her ground as if she were screening an opponent.  At the last possible moment, she drifted out to the top of the key all alone and Eck got her the ball and Hendricks released an absolute cold-blooded killing "3" that had had the Amherst bench in jubilation as the game was now sent to overtime tied at 51.  My good friend, Pat Coleman of D3Hoops.com, took the video of it and you can watch this unbelievable drama unfold here:  https://twitter.com/d3hoops/status/1104223117923282945

And ANYONE who thought this drama would be over was sadly, sadly mistaken as this unforgettable back-and-forth battle continued once the extra five-minute session was underway.  The Mammoths' Eck put her team out in front again for the first time since the early moments of that insane fourth period with one free throw with 4:21 left but UST's Porter would come up with two big-time three-point bombs that likely saved the Tommies on this night.  One from the left top area with 4:10 left and the other one from the top of the key with 3:25 left now had the Tommies up 57-52 and that UST student body section was going nuts again but just when you THOUGHT everything was safe and secure for UST, this Amherst team had vastly, vastly different plans and with 2:13 left, Eck was able to snare an offensive rebound for a putback that drew a foul and her ensuing "and one" quickly cut the gap to two points again at 57-55.  The Tommies would come up empty on their ensuing possession and with 1:25 left, Amherst senior guard/forward Meghan Sullivan would get fouled but UST arguably dodged a bullet when the Granby, Massachussetts native was unable to cash in on either free throw attempt.  Still, the Tommies were unable to capitalize off of this break as they came up empty again on their next possession.  So the Mammoths now got a second (or third or fourth depending upon your point of view) lease on life and with :28 left, Fox had an open look from downtown at the left top area and she drilled a dagger "3" that now pushed Amherst back on top by a 58-57 count.  UST's Sinn would then call a thirty-second timeout to devise a response and I think this is where you really saw the maturity and resolve of this Tommie team come shining through.  Down by one in an NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal game with all the pressure on them.  It was probably no surprise that UST quickly worked the ball to Spaulding who would be fouled with :24.2 left and she calmly found the will to drop both free throw attempts before a hushed crowd that now put the Tommies back out in front by a 59-58 count.  Amherst's Gromacki would call a thirty-second timeout of his own to set up a play - this time to win it for the Mammoths and it was here that the heart and soul of this UST team; Renikoff, likely made the play of the year for the Tommies.  With Amherst carefully working the ball around the perimeter; looking for an open shooter with UST playing the best possible defense, Hendricks got the ball again at the right top area behind the arc and appeared to have enough of an opening to launch yet another heart-breaking "3" with :08.3 left.  The Tommies' Renikoff, however, would have no part of it and made an absolute breathtaking block of the shot and got control of the ball and was immediately fouled by Amherst's Fox with :06.2 left.  And Renikoff, the former Minneapolis Washburn standout, left nothing to chance as she sank both free throw attempts to make it 61-58.  But that STILL did not close the door entirely on this game just yet.  The Mammoths would quickly get the ball up the court and Resch had just enough of an opening from the top of the key with :00.1 left on the clock to launch up one last prayer.  The shot itself was good; and certainly had the right tracking but this shot wound up rattling in and out and the UST bench and fans erupted as they got out of Dodge with an absolutely thrilling and heart-stopping 61-58 victory that still gets me going just writing about it.  For Renikoff's heroics, you can view it here; again taken by Pat Coleman of D3Hoops.com:  https://twitter.com/d3hoops/status/1104243962137792512

I personally had so many things going through my mind and was feeling so many different emotions once this one finally ended that it truly took me a while to settle down again.  You could feel that happiness and exhilaration on the UST side but you could also feel the heartache and sadness on the Amherst side and I still have so much respect and admiration for this Amherst team and program and this respect and admiration was underlined during their post-game press conference that was attended by Gromacki along with Eck and Fox.  Gromacki:  "What a game....I think the fans got to see two great teams here tonight and it came down to a play here and a play there and we didn't just didn't make the plays at the end of the game.....They hit a couple of foul shots and we rimmed out a '3' and, what can I say?  I'm proud of my team.....Give St. Thomas all the credit.....It was a fun atmosphere here to play and we came up just a little bit short."  I got to ask Eck about all the great plays she made in this game that kept her team in it at crucial times and gave themselves a chance to win.  "Thank you....I appreciate it....I'm really happy that I could make some big plays for my team....I wish I could have made more but I'm happy that we were able to play a tough game and come back and everything; not just me but everybody was able to make big plays down the stretch and I wish we could have gotten just a couple more."  A teary-eyed Fox talked about how much confidence they have in Hendricks and Fox told her before the end of regulation that she was going to make that shot and she did.  Was just so incredibly impressed with how classy and smart these two young women are and, before anyone starts feeling too bad for the Mammoths, you can damn well bet that they'll be back in this same position next year at this time and both Eck and Fox expressed a great desire to work hard this off-season to reach their goal next year.  You can view the entire Amherst press conference with this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xoxLQiJ95I

UST's Sinn right off the bat of the Tommie post-game press conference expressed her praise for this Amherst team and what it was like to play them.  "Well, first off, it was an honor to play them.....I mean, Amherst has set the bar for women's Division III basketball.....This past summer, these two young ladies (Spaulding and Renikoff who were also in attendance) kind of tested us....We studied their (Amherst's) numbers defensively.....We were a good team offensively....As a team, we all went down to the Final Four (in Rochester, MN) and we watched them.  Being deliberate....The intention......We studied them and we talked about that in October and September about their numbers and what it takes to be a national champion....Because we wanted to be like that!  We brought our defensive numbers up but I give them a lot of credit.  It isn't easy to do what they do.  And it's a lot of work......There were some times when we created some separation but they came right back so I give them a lot of credit.  I was also very proud of these young ladies....The momentum didn't go our way at the end of regulation....You didn't see any finger-pointing.  You saw 'Next play, what do we have to do?'  So I was really proud of how they continued to handle the ups and downs of this game and they kept their focus on finding a solution."  I mentioned to Sinn that, while I thought that they were successful in getting Spaulding established down low in the paint early on in the contest, I felt that Amherst made some nice adjustments in the third period to take some of those opportunities away.  "Well, and that's basketball....And that's one of the fun things about basketball is that it's the 'move and counter move' and so we continued to talk about that.....The girls did a nice job because, yeah, they did start taking Hannah (Spaulding) away but then 'Lu' (Renikoff) had a couple of beautiful drives across; and we weren't just one-dimensional in the post....And we found some resilience in what we needed to do to attack."  You can view the entire UST press conference at this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxPUO04XwJA

Wow, what a game.  Even just looking back it now still brings some of those last few frantic seconds of both regulation and overtime dancing into my mind and my hat's off to both of these teams for showing what Division III women's basketball is all about.  It's somewhat surprising when you look at the final box score and see that Amherst actually had a 47-40 edge on the boards but turnovers in this contest were viturally negligible with Amherst guilty of ten and UST with nine.  Neither team wound up setting the world on fire with their shooting necessarily.  They just hit some incredibly big shots when it really counted.  No doubt Amherst's Gromacki and his staff had to wince about when he saw that his squad was 23-70 from FG range for 32.9% but again, credit UST for making a lot of those shots tough.  And the Mammoths were 8-27 from behind the arc for 29.6%.  Same deal there.  But give Amherst - specifically Hendricks - for coming up with that big one to send the game into regulation and Resch damn near had that one in a last-gasp attempt that would have sent the game to a second overtime.  Another fabulous, fabulous outing for Spaulding with another "double-double" of 28 points to lead all scorers and 18 rebounds (13 of those coming on the defensive end) while Porter was the only other Tommie in double figures scoring-wise with her 15 points.  Amherst not surprisingly was led by Eck and her 26 points and for someone who's "only" 5'9", she more than held her own down low.  Resch had 14 points and Fox finished with 10 points.