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An in-depth look at Division III Posted Jan. 28, 2000 |
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By Mark Simon PRINCETON TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- There was a time when Catholic University could compete with the likes of Princeton, George Washington and Duquesne. Unfortunately, that time was 74 years ago. That Catholic team defeated all three of those squads en route to an 11-6 record under Fred Rice.
"Our guys know they'll bounce back," said Catholic coach Mike Lonergan, whose team is 14-3, 14-1 against Division III competition and is one of a few teams (Washington College being another notable example) to schedule more than one game against a Division I foe. Earlier this season, Catholic fell to neighboring American University 83-65. They should rebound well. The Cardinals, who went to the Sweet 16 last season, are the top-ranked team in the Mid-Atlantic Region. And they recovered by winning 80-66 at Mary Washington Jan. 27. "(When we play well) we shoot three-pointers well," Lonergan said. "We play very good team defense and we have a lot of depth. We win ugly I feel our ranking is justified. I don't feel we should punished (in the polls) for playing a Division I team. ... Our goal is to reach the Final Four." Senior guard Dan Harrington, who scored 21 points against Princeton, paces the offense at 17.3 ppg. Pat Maloney and Tim Judge also average double-digits and are dangerous weapons from the outside.
"This was the best team we've ever played," said Harrington of a Tigers squad that got half of its 90 points from three-pointers. "Nobody we play could shoot like Princeton did." Catholic traditionally tries to play one of the toughest schedules in the country. So when Princeton assistant John Thompson III told high-school friend Lonergan that the Tigers needed an opponent, Lonergan said his team would come to Jadwin Gym. Lonergan hopes that the difficulties his team faced in this contest will serve to help his team in the long run. "We've tried to play Division I schools in the past and most of them won't play us," Lonergan said. "We knew it could get ugly, but it gave parents and friends of our players a chance to see a game. It gave our players a chance to play in front of a big crowd. We definitely jumped at the opportunity. Hopefully in three months, we'll still feel like it was a good (idea). I'd like to play them again in two or three years." For now the focus is on the CAC schedule and then, hopefully, the postseason. There is still room to improve. "I'd like to see some more leadership," Lonergan said. "I think that's because we've got a lot of young guys. We tend to get pushed around a lot." Likewise, the Shoremen got shellacked by a pair of Division I foes -- William & Mary (92-39) and Maryland-Baltimore County (95-50) and the experience has had mixed results. Twenty-ninth year coach Tom Finnegan's team is 7-8, but 4-2 in conference play. "I've always looked at it as measuring if your team has the ability to go far in a season," said Finnegan, who annually leaves two openings on the schedule for Division I teams and in 1977-78 coached his Washington squad against the runners-up in Division I (Duke) and Division III (Widener). "Every kid swears he is a Division I player and it is a leveling experience for him to see what Division I is really like. They see they are in the right place, though some guys could be on the team at that level." Finnegan said that since the advent of the shot clock and advancements in recruiting and videotaped scouting have made it much more difficult for Division III squads to have a chance to win these games. Last season only one did as McMurry topped Texas-Arlington. "It may not seem like a positive at the time," said Finnegan of the mismatches, "but when it happens, the player realizes there are a lot of things he needs to work on. He comes better prepared to play. It gets the message across about going hard on every play and staying with the system." |
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Catholic's Kevin Wise and Mike Lepeonka attempt to box out their taller Princeton opponents.
(D3hoops.com photo by Pat Coleman)
Princeton blocked eight Catholic shots, with Chris Young (55) accounting for five of them.
(D3hoops.com photo by Pat Coleman)