The Southwestern University men's basketball team returned from a 20 day hiatus for its first game in the SU Holiday Hoops Classic, a 55-53 loss to the Swarthmore College Garnet in Georgetown, TX.
Points were scarce in the first half as there were eight lead changes and four ties. The largest lead of the half was when Swarthmore went up by four on a Dillon McGrew three-pointer with 3:56 on the clock. The Pirates then went on an 8-2 run to bring the score to 20-18 at the half.
The Garnet gained control in the second half and took the lead for good at the 16:37 mark on a Chris Casey three-pointer, making the score 26-23. SU kept the score close until Swarthmore exploded with 14 straight points to go ahead by 15, the largest lead of the game, with 9:21 to go in the game. The Pirates chipped away at the lead and made it a two possession game with just over three minutes on the clock. The Pirates kept it within six the rest of the way, getting as close two after a Ben Schleif (San Antonio, TX/Reagan HS) jumper in the paint made it 53-51. Swarthmore got a pair of free throws and then junior Matt Caplan (Houston, TX/University of Kansas) made a jumper just before the buzzer to end the game at 55-53.
Senior Casey Gorder (San Antonio, TX/Texas Military Institute) and Caplan scored a game-high 12 points for SU. Gorder was 4-8 from the floor and 4-5 from the charity stripe while also leading all players with 11 rebounds for the double-double. Caplan shot just 2-9 in the game but connected on 8-8 free throws and also managed to pull down eight boards.
Junior Mike Powell (Houston, TX/Episcopal HS) added 10 points for the Bucs and a couple of steals. First-year Zach Bergstrom (La Vernia, TX/La Vernia HS) was 2-2 from the field, including 1-1 from three-point range, for five points along with three rebounds, one assist and one steal.
As a team, Southwestern was 18-21 from the free throw line for a 85.7 percent shooting percentage. The Pirates out-rebounded the Garnet by a 42-33 margin and forced 23 turnovers but committed 25 turnovers of their own. Swarthmore was aided by nine blocks in the game, six of which came from Ian McCormick.
The Pirates play again on Saturday (Dec. 30) when they host the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg Bobcats at 8:00 p.m. for the final game of the SU Holiday Hoops Classic.
