Round Two: Ready to Go

SPOKANE, Wash. (March 7, 2008) – A late night charged with excitement generated by a come-from-behind 52-51 victory at Rush Gymnasium turned into an early morning full of anticipation and travel for the # 25 Occidental College men’s basketball team. The Tigers used their 22nd victory of the 2007-08 season to punch a ticket to the NCAA Division III Second Round, which will take place on Saturday, March, 8 in Spokane, Wash. at Whitworth University.

The Pirates (20-6) and Tigers (22-5) alike are making their second consecutive NCAA Post Season appearance after clinching back-to-back Northwest Conference and Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships, respectively.

Whitworth used a second half surge to defeat the University of Puget Sound 96-69 in the NWC Tournament Championship game on March 1 to advance. The Pirates then received a first round bye, while the Tigers were selected as one of 17 Pool C at-large teams to play in the Tournament. Oxy defeated SCIAC foe Pomona-Pitzer 52-51 on Thursday night in Round One to earn a trip to the Great Northwest.

Both teams are led by their respective conference’s Player of the Year.

Whitworth’s 6-foot-5 senior forward, Ryan Symes, the team’s only returning starter, led the Pirates with 19.4 points per game (3rd in the NWC) adding 6.3 rebounds per game (8th in the NWC). This season he also has added a three-point shot to his game, making 33% from beyond the arc. Stymes has led the Bucs in scoring 17 times this season, thanks in large part to his NWC-leading free throw percentage (86.2%) and has been named NWC Player of the Week twice (Jan.21 and Feb. 18).

Oxy’s 6-foot-1 guard from Los Angeles, Calif., Connor Whitman, was named the SCIAC Player of the Year after leading all conference players with 18.3 ppg, an 86.0 FT%, 3FG-made (94) and 3FG% (46.1). Whitman also finished the season with 45 steals, 59 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. He was twice named the SCIAC Athlete of the Week (Jan. 9 and Jan. 30).

Other Pirates to watch tonight include 6-foot-6 First Team All-NWC senior forward Colin Willemsen. He led the team and was third in the NWC in rebounding (7.8 per game) and second in the league in offensive rebounds (2.6 per game). Willemsen also finished seventh in the NWC (second on the team) in assists (3.54 per game). Finally, Willemsen was the Whitworth leader and thirteenth ranked player in the NWC in steals (1.15 per game). All of this goes along with a strong 13.6 scoring average (second on the team). His nine double-doubles this season lead the NWC.

Freshman phenom David Riley had a breakthrough rookie season. The 6-foor-5 guard was third on the team in scoring (11.8 points per game) where he has been deadly from three point range, and is the only player in the Northwest Conference to rank in the top six of the league stat leaders in both three-pointers made (5th, 2.52 per game) and three point percentage (6th, 42.9%). In Whitworth's second game of the season, he broke the school record for three-pointers made in a game when he was 8-for-13 in a win over Caltech. Riley has led the Pirates in scoring four times this season.

Even before his breakthrough performance (26 points) in a win at Willamette on January 5th, Whitworth junior Ross Nakamura had been a steadying influence as the Pirate point guard this season. A transfer from Diablo Valley JC in Concord, Calif., Nakamura earned NWC Honorable Mention after finishing fifth in the NWC in assists (4.6 per game). Perhaps more telling about Nakamura's play this season, he led the NWC and all of NCAA Division III in assist-turnover ratio (4.00 assists per turnover). His steadiness with the ball is nearly matched by his shooting ability, as he was third in the Northwest Conference in three-point percentage (43.9%) this season.

Joining Whitman with All-SCIAC honors was 6-foot-2 junior Huston Conti who earned Second Team recognition. He averaged 11.5 points per game, a 91.3 FT%, a 45.9 FG%, a 36.3 3FG% and had 34 steals this season.

As a team Whitworth averages 14.8 assists per game and leads the NWC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.39 assists for every turnover, 5th in the nation). The Pirates commit the fewest turnovers in the league (10.7 per game, 4th in the NCAA) as well. And when the team gets to the free throw line, the Pirates make a league-best 77.5% (6th in the NCAA). The Bucs have taken their usually tough defense up a notch this year, leading the NWC in both scoring defense (63.4 points per game allowed) and field goal percentage defense (41.8%). In addition, Whitworth leads the rebounding margin category (+6.7).

Oxy led the conference with 72.5 points per game, winning by an average of 13.6 points. They finished as the leading team for FT% (72.4), 3FG% (38.8), rebounding (37.1 per game) with 12.87 offensive rpg and 24.26 defensive rpg, and an 8.2 rebounding margin, assists (16.65 per game), and assist/turnover ratio (1.32). Oxy is second to Pomona-Pitzer in 3-point field goals made with 7.04 per game. Defensively Oxy led the league in field goal defense at 40.7%.

In the only other meeting between these two schools, the Tigers, coached by Brian Newhall, defeated Whitworth 68-67 in Los Angeles, Calif. on Jan. 2, 2006.

Saturday’s NCAA second round game will be carried live by KSBN 1230 am and Bob Castle will call the play by play. In addition to the on-air broadcast, the KSBN internet simulcast can be picked up either on the Whitworth Athletics site, or at KSBN.net by selecting the "listen now" button.

Also, Whitworth now offers "Live Stats" for all home games. The live stats link is: http://www.whitworth.edu/Athletics/Teams/Basketball/livestats/xlive.htm.