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Atlanta, GA – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor men's basketball team has faced a host of challenges in the 2012-13 season on the way to a berth in the NCAA Division III National Championship Game. The Cru lost two likely starters shortly before the season opened, dropped two of its first three games, survived a six-game road trip early in conference play and rallied from a loss in the Championship Game of the American Southwest Conference Tournament. UMHB also bounced back from second-half deficits against the #6, #11 and #1 teams in the nation in postseason victories over Whitworth, St. Mary's and St. Thomas.
Now the Cru faces another stiff test in the quest for the program's first national championship. UMHB will face Amherst (Mass.) College at 11:30 Central Time (12:30 Eastern) in the NCAA Division III National Championship Game on Sunday in Atlanta. The Lord Jeffs (29-2) are ranked #2 in the country and have a 23-game winning streak. Amherst also won the 2007 Division III National Championship and will be playing in the national title game for the third time in the last seven years. You can contrast that with the fact that UMHB had never advanced beyond the Sweet 16 prior to this season and did not receive a single vote in the final regular season D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll.
The Lord Jeffs also feature the NABC Division III National Player of the Year in junior guard Aaron Toomey. Toomey averages a team-best 17.4 points per game and also has a team-high 153 assists. Senior forward Willy Workman adds 12.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game to go with his 120 assists. Senior center Peter Kaasila is a force inside, averaging 12.8 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while blocking a team-high 39 shots. Senior guard Allen Williamson is also a double-figure scorer with an average of 11.7 points per game.
As a team, Amherst is shooting 49 percent from the field, scoring 83.8 points per game and out rebounding opponents by an average of 6.4 boards per game. The Lord Jeffs hit 39 percent from three-point range as a team and those gaudy shooting percentages have certainly caught the eye of UMHB head coach
Ken DeWeese.
“I think we've defended very well throughout this tournament run against some very good shooting teams,” DeWeese said. “I think we need that same kind of effort and performance on Sunday. If we can defend, we've got a chance. If we don't defend, I'm not sure we do. We need to perform on that end of the floor.”
The Cru has found a way to slow down hit-shooting teams, at least to this point. Whitworth University and St. Thomas both entered their games with UMHB ranked in the top three in the country in shooting percentage but came away with losses.
UMHB will take a 27-5 overall mark into Sunday's game and has already set a new school record for victories in a season. The Cru is the first team from the state of Texas to play in the Division III Men's Basketball Championship Game.
