Hamline tied things up on a Jon DeRock three-pointer with :39 left. After an HU foul, Macalester set up for the final shot. Liddell beat his defender on a drive to the bucket and laid it in for the game-winner.
Mac improves to 7-8 on the season and 4-6 in the MIAC. The Pipers drop to 4-11 overall, 2-8 in the MIAC.
Tom Conboy scored 19 points and handed out four assists to pace the Scots. He was joined in double figures by Abe Woldeslassie with 15 points, Lars Johnson with 14, and Liddell with 11.
Tony Thrasher had 24 points and seven rebounds to lead Hamline. Kyle Foster added 20 points and eight boards, and Jon DeRock had 16 points. Point guard Sam Wiener finished with six assists and eight rebounds.
The contest was very tight throughout, with 14 lead changes and 13 ties, and the lead was never greater than four points in the second half until Abe Woldeslassie put Mac up by five at 77-72 with a key jumper at 1:55. Hamline led 72-71 with 4:27 left on a DeRock three-pointer but Conboy scored the game’s next two baskets from close inside to put Mac up by three. Woldeslassie’s basket at 1:55 made the lead five. Hamline, however, fought back to tie things up on a pair of Zev Kujolic free throws and DeRock’s final trey.
Macalester is back in action Saturday (Jan. 20) when it hosts Gustavus. Hamline plays Saturday at home against St. Olaf.
Hamline vs Macalester 1/17/07 5:45 p.m. at St. Paul, Minn. (Macalester Gymnasium) At St. Paul, Minn. (Macalester Gymnasium) MACALESTER 79, HAMLINE 77 HAMLINE (4-11 / 2-8 MIAC) Tony Thrasher 9-19 5-6 24; Kyle Foster 5-12 6-6 20; Jon DeRock 5-10 2-2 16; Zev Kujolic 3-7 2-3 9; Kory Kelzer 2-6 0-0 4; Sam Wiener 1-9 0-2 2; Brad Brake 1-2 0-0 2; Eric Gusaas 0-2 0-0 0; Chris Babcock 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-68 15-19 77. MACALESTER (7-8 / 4-6 MIAC) Tom Conboy 9-17 0-0 19; Abe Woldeslassie 6-15 1-1 15; Lars Johnson 4-12 2-2 14; Brad Liddell 4-14 0-0 11; Jesse Hollander 3-4 0-1 6; Andy Stein 3-5 0-0 6; Paul Richie 2-4 0-0 6; Brian Ranwick 0-3 2-2 2; Jerry Kraus 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-74 5-6 79. Hamline....................... 34 43 - 77 Macalester.................... 36 43 - 79 3-point goals-Hamline 10-29 (Kyle Foster 4-10; Jon DeRock 4-7; Zev Kujolic 1-3; Tony Thrasher 1-5; Sam Wiener 0-3; Kory Kelzer 0-1), Macalester 12-33 (Lars Johnson 4-8; Brad Liddell 3-11; Abe Woldeslassie 2-4; Paul Richie 2-2; Tom Conboy 1-5; Brian Ranwick 0-3). Fouled out--Hamline-None, Macalester-Jesse Hollander. Rebounds-Hamline 40 (Sam Wiener 8; Kyle Foster 8), Macalester 45 (Abe Woldeslassie 7; Jesse Hollander 7). Assists-Hamline 17 (Sam Wiener 6), Macalester 17 (Tom Conboy 4; Abe Woldeslassie 4). Total fouls-Hamline 11, Macalester 19. A-275