Hanover College's men's basketball team defeated Franklin College, 66-56, to capture the 2005 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament championship. The game was played Saturday, Feb. 26, in Collier Arena.
The triumph marked Hanover's third consecutive league tournament title and seventh straight victory against Franklin. With the championship, the Panthers earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA III national tournament.
Senior forward Ryan Lanning scored 17 points and grabbed four rebounds to provide Hanover with a spark off the bench. Senior guard Matt Moore, who was named the tournament's most valuable player, notched nine points, three steals and three assists. Junior forward Brian Chrin added 11 points for the Panthers (23-5).
Nick Kane scored 18 points to lead Franklin. Kane had six rebounds and tied the Heartland Conference tournament single-game record with six blocked shots. Nick Scott added 13 points for the Grizzlies (18-10). Both players were named to the all-tournament team.
Chrin, who represented Hanover on the all-tournament squad along with junior forward Ben Lye, scored six points as the Panthers raced to a 21-7 lead eight minutes into the contest. Hanover used three Franklin turnovers during a two-minute span to eventually stretch the margin to 20 points (31-11) with 8:14 left in the first period.
The Panthers shot 59.4 percent from the floor in the first half (19-of-32) and led 47-27 at the intermission. Lanning scored 11 points and junior guard Nate Minyard added 10 points to key the squad's effort.
Franklin made a charge in the opening minutes of the second half. Kane scored six points and Scott added five points as the Grizzlies cut the margin to 51-38 just five minutes into the period.
Hanover held off the challenge. With three free throws from freshman center Brice Murphy and baskets by Lanning and Chrin, the Panthers held a 60-43 lead midway through the second half.
Franklin made one last run. The Grizzlies got back-to-back baskets from Kane to get within 60-47 at the 9:14 mark. A pair of free throws from Josh Norris pulled Franklin within 60-49 with 7:53 on the clock.
Hanover's defense, however, limited Franklin to just one point through the next four minutes and two field goals in the final nine minutes of play. The drought, spurred by a deliberate Hanover offense, allowed the Panthers to maintain a double-digit lead until the final horn.
The victory was the 450th career win for Hanover head coach Mike Beitzel. The triumph also marked the 97th career win for Hanover's senior class. The effort matches the most victories in a four-year period in school history. The senior class of 1982 also posted 97 wins and won four Hoosier-Buckeye Collegiate Conference titles.
The 2005 NCAA III national tournament pairings will be released at 10:30 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 27. The first round opens nationwide Thursday, March 3. Second-round games will be played Saturday, March 5.