Hinz – who one week earlier became Beloit’s career scoring and rebounding leader – exploded for 50 points and grabbed 36 rebounds against the Pioneers. The 50 points established a new Flood Arena scoring record while the 36 rebounds shattered the previous school record by 16, set a high-water mark in the college ranks this season, and tied the all-time, single-game NCAA Division III record. His performance was so outstanding and noteworthy that it was featured on ESPN’s “Bottom Line” on Sunday. After scrolling the key Division I scores across the bottom of the television screen, it read: “Division III: Beloit College 120, Grinnell 112 – Josh Hinz (Beloit) 50 points, 18-27 FG, 36 rebounds.”
The Buccaneers needed the victory to stay in the hunt for the fourth and final playoff spot in The Midwest Conference Tournament after dropping a 62-60 decision to visiting Monmouth on Friday night. With four games remaining, Beloit is 6-6 in league play and 10-9 overall. The Bucs trail fourth-place Knox (7-6) by a half-game in the conference standings and are ahead of sixth-place Ripon (6-7) by a half-game. One of Beloit’s remaining games is against Ripon as the Red Hawks visit The Flood Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
Saturday’s contest was one of the most exciting played in Beloit in quite a while as about 2,000 fans packed The Flood Arena almost to the rafters. The Buccaneers, and the Pioneers, did not disappoint. Beloit’s eight-point victory came almost a year to the day after the Bucs beat host Grinnell 86-85 in a game televised nationally on
ESPN2 on Feb. 3, 2005. The 120 points by Beloit tied the Flood Arena record for most points scored by a single team and the 232 total points ranks second.
Hinz’s 50 points gives him 1,842 points in his stellar, four-year Buccaneer career. His 36 rebounds on Saturday increase his total to 781. He was one of five Buccaneers to score in double figures on Saturday as junior Nick Hendry (Essex Junction, Vt.) tallied 22, senior Danny Towns (Edgerton, Wis.) added 20 and junior Matt Fieck (Appleton, Wis.) and senior Nate Skelton (Cambridge, Ill.) scored 10. Skelton dished out 12 of Beloit’s 30 assists while Fieck added nine. Hendry grabbed six rebounds to help the Bucs outrebound the Pioneers 56-27. Hinz had more defensive rebounds (28) than Grinnell did as a team. Hinz and freshman Mike Dowden (Walworth, Wis.) played the entire 40 minutes against Grinnell’s up-tempo style of play.
The Bucs connected on 68 percent of their shots during the game, sinking 45-of-66. They did not need to attempt a three-pointer, and they sank 30-of-38 free throws. Hinz was 18-of-27 from the floor and 14-of-19 from the line. Towns was 9-of-10 from the floor and 2-of-2 from the stripe while Hendry was 9-of-13 and 4-of-4, respectively. The Pioneers took 93 shots, including 60 three-pointers, and made 40 for 43 percent. They made 26 three-pointers and were 6-of-12 from the stripe. Grinnell fell to 12-7 overall and to 8-5 (third place) in the MWC.
As is accustomed when Grinnell plays, the contest ebbed and flowed throughout. There were five ties and six lead changes. All of the lead changes and four of the ties occurred in the first half. The Pioneers grabbed the early 28-18 lead with nine minutes gone in the first period before the Bucs tied the game at 36-36 with a pair of free throws by freshman Sal Crivello (Clinton, Wis.). A Hinz layup with 4:59 left in the first half gave Beloit a 40-39 advantage and a basket by freshman Andy Horton (Orfordville, Wis.) as time expired in the opening period staked the Bucs to a 54-46 lead.
In the second half, a Towns layup at the 15:48 mark gave Beloit its first double-digit lead at 67-57. Grinnell rallied to knot the score at 79-all with 11:11 left on the clock. However, a 10-0 Buccaneer run over the next two minutes put the hosts in control. Hinz, Hendry, Towns, and Dowden all contributed points during the run. The advantage reached 14 at 95-81 with 7:52 remaining when Hinz sank a pair of free throws. The largest Beloit lead was 16 at 106-90 after a Towns layup with 4:02 on the clock. The Bucs scored their final 10 points at the free-throw line as they sank 10-of-12 during the final 2:10 to seal the triumph.
Towns’ 9-for-10 shooting performance is the second-best individual effort in The Flood Arena. Skelton’s 12 assists also rank second in the Bucs home gym.