Muskingum edged Earlham by a 61-59 margin, while Manchester knocked off W&J, 59-57.
The Muskies (5-4) and the Spartans (8-2) will play for the tournament championship tomorrow evening at 8:00 pm. Earlham (3-7) and W&J (1-10) will play for the consolation title at 6:00 pm.
In the opener, Muskingum raced out to a 27-12 first-half lead and held on for the victory. Earlham trailed the entire game, but forced a 59-59 tie with 34 seconds left after a jumper by senior forward Markous Jewett (Richmond, Ind./Richmond).
Todd then sent the Muskies home a winner when his jumper as time expired bounced off the rim three times before falling in. Todd led the way with 18 points and four steals for Muskingum, while Jewett posted a game-high 23 points for the Quakers.
In the nightcap, Grabowski’s lay-up with 2.4 seconds remaining broke a 57-57 and gave the Spartans a two-point win.
The Presidents caught fire at the beginning of the game as senior guard Jon Koch (New Kensington, Pa./Plum) netted nine points during a 16-4 W&J spurt over the first six minutes.
W&J held the lead the entire half, but a three-pointer by MC senior guard Derek Hammond (New Carlisle, Ind./New Prairie) with 48 seconds left made it a 30-27 game at halftime.
Manchester took its first lead of the game at the 16:46 mark following senior forward Wes Gardner’s (Columbia City, Ind./Columbia City) lay-up.
The teams traded the lead nine times over the next five minutes; however, a 13-2 W&J run gave the Presidents a 53-43 advantage with 7:58 left on the clock. Senior guard Brandon Studer (Johnstown, Pa./Conemaugh Valley) poured in three baskets during the rally.
Manchester answered with 14 of the next 16 points during a six-minute stretch to assume a 57-55 lead with 1:57 remaining. Grabowski netted six points during the run which was capped by Gardner’s foul line jumper.
Sophomore forward Wahab Owolabi (Queens Village, N.Y./Randolph Macon Academy) tied the game for the Presidents with a turnaround jumper with 27 seconds left. The Spartans held for the last shot and junior guard Jamaal Wade (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) fired a pass to Grabowski for an open lay-up and the win. W&J’s final pass was knocked away.
Gardner led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting (4-of-9 three-pointers). Grabowski added 12 points for the Spartans, who shot 44 percent (23-of-52) and forced 19 turnovers.
Owolabi paced the Presidents with a career-high 18 points. He also grabbed eight rebounds and two steals. Koch finished with 14 points and eight boards, while Studer chipped in with 12.