Trailing by 13 points,47-34, Eastern (3-2) went on a 24-6 run over a span of seven minutes to take a 58-53 lead with five minutes left. Junior guard Geoffrey Richardson’s three-point field goal snapped a 53-all tie and gave the Warriors the lead for good with six minutes left. Junior center Dan Trudeau then knocked the ball free on W&L’s next possession and sophomore guard Dan DeJesus layed in an open drive to the hoop to make it 58-53. Led by Stallings (6-for-6), the Warriors retained the lead by converting ten of 12 free throws in the final 3:33.
Stallings, who came off the bench in both tournament games, represented Eastern on the all-tournament team. Against the Generals, he tied his Eastern career high with his game-high total. He was 8-for-13 from the floor and 10-for-13 from the foul line (9-for-10 in the second half) and also contributed six rebounds, four assists and a steal.
Coming off Saturday’s 79-54 first-round loss to No. 23 nationally-ranked Rochester, the Warriors shot 52.6 per cent from the floor in the first half against Washington and Lee (0-5), but led by only four, 29-25. Things unraveled quickly in the second half, the Generals opening with a 22-5 run that vaulted them into a 13-point, 47-32 lead with 12:24 left.
Following a timeout, a key sequence cut six quick points off the deficit and pulled the Warriors to within seven, 47-40, with 11 minutes left. Richardson, the team’s top three-point threat, was inserted into the game at the timeout and immediately swished a three-pointer when the Warriors inbounded. The Generals then missed a one-and-one try on their end of the floor, and Richardson found Trudeau alone underneath for an easy hoop. Trudeau was fouled on the play and made the free throw to make it 47-40 with 10:47 left. The General opened the door again on their next possession by committing a foul and after a W&L timeout, Stallings canned both ends of a one-and-one, pullng the Warriors to within five, 47-42, with 10:28 left.
Richardson and junior forward Leon Martin joined Stallings in double figures with 13 and 11 points, respectively Richardson was 5-for-7 from the floor, including 3-for-4 from three-point range. Martin was 7-for-8 from the foul line and matched Stallings with six rebounds. Martin’s final two free throws were awarded when he was fouled while rebounding an Eastern missed shot with 1:24 left. He sank them both to make it 67-64.
In the game, Eastern was 23-for-31 from the foul line, 16-for-21 in the second half.
Junior guard Chris Halkitis led the Generals with 16 points. Coming off an 0-for-8 shooting performance in a 30-point first-round loss to nationally-ranked John Carroll University Saturday night, Halkitis dropped in 13 points in the first half against Eastern but was limited to two shots and a single three-point field goal in the second half before fouling out with 3:33 left. Six-foot-7 inch sophomore forward Greg Biedemann followed Halkitis to the bench a minute later when he was whistled for his fifth foul while battling Martin for the rebound that resulted in the two free throws. Biedmann had 13 points and led all players with seven rebounds.
Sophomore point guard Shiwon Davis missed both games in the tournament after twisting his ankle in the opening minutes of Tuesday’s win over Trinity College.
Rochester (4-1) won its tenth tournament title in the past 11 years by defeating No.16 nationally-ranked John Carroll University (3-1) in Sunday afternoon’s championship game. John Carroll had whipped Washington & Lee, 86-56, in Saturday night’s first round.