Williams opened the game on a 12-3 and never looked back as the Vikings would never close within five points on the night.
Seniors Ben Coffin and Michael Crotty led the way for the Ephs as each posted a double-double in the game. Coffin scored a team-high 18 points, hauled in 11 rebounds, and blocked four shots. His 11 rebounds put him in a tie for the all-time rebounding mark in Williams history. Crotty paced the offense in dishing out 14 assists. He also contributed 17 points including three trey-balls.
“It was a good win for us,” Williams head coach Dave Paulsen said. “Salem is a very quality team and they played very hard. There was no quit on them.”
Despite facing double-digit leads for much of the night, the Vikings continued to fight and played with the intensity characteristic of a team that finished a perfect 14-0 in the MASCAC. Salem finished the season, its fifth straight NCAA appearance, with a 24-5 record.
“They move the ball great,” Vikings first year head coach Sean Dohrety said. “I was petrified of playing them when I was looking at them move the ball on tape. That’s why they’ve only lost one game.”
Evidence of Dohrety’s point: Williams had 26 assists on 34 baskets made in the game. In an unselfish fashion, the Ephs either found the open man in transition or made the extra pass in its offensive sets to take control of the game.
“Since the middle of the season, we’ve been running much better and that keys our whole offense,” Crotty said.
“It’s a little more up tempo, but it wears down our opponents and we can keep bringing in fresh guys,” Coffin said.
As he has done all year, junior Michael Graham provided such a spark off the bench. He played tooth-and-nail defense against Dewayne Cox after Jaris Cole had departed with two fouls. Graham also scored eight of his 10 points in the second half during a stretch when Salem had begun to chip away at the margin.
It did not hurt that they also outrebounded a tall Vikings team 51-36. Though Coffin’s 11 led the way, junior Tucker Kain and sophomore Andrew Newton each came down with eight rebounds in a combined 33 minutes of action. Kain added 11 points and Newton chipped in seven.
“We had to focus on keeping them from scoring around the basket,” Paulsen said.
Senior Chuck Abba also contributed 11 points, nine coming off of three-pointers and added seven rebounds.
For the Vikings, Cox and Ifesinachi Anosike led the way. Cox scored a game-high 19 points despite being harassed by the Williams faithful. Anosike scored 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Shawn Bloom added 17 points for the Vikings.
Next up for the 27-1 Ephs is a test in the form of Brockport State, who topped Trinity 80-76 on Saturday, next Friday night. The time and location of the game will be announced Monday.
“We love playing at home,” Graham said. “We’re a lot more confident, we play harder, and with more intensity.”