LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA - Lincoln University senior All-American
guard Kyle Myrick scored 49 points, grabbed eight rebounds and
handed out six assists to lift the top-seeded Lions to a 99-79
victory over No. 2 seed Saint Joseph's College (Maine) in the
championship game of the Association of Division III Independents
tournament Saturday afternoon at Manuel Rivero Hall.
Myrick was named Tournament MVP. Also named to the All-Tournament
Team were Saint Joseph's Marcus Alexander and Matt Plummer,
Lincoln's Bryant Leach and Thomas Hickson, Mitchell's T.J. Smith
and Newbury's Arch Mitchell.
The Monks (19-8) placed three players in double digits highlighted
by Plummer's 18 points and nine rebounds. Noah LaRoche and Pat
Mileski added 10 points each for Saint Joseph's.
The Lions were pushed for a half by the Monks, who trailed 45-32 at
intermission. Lincoln took control of the game midway through the
second half after Alexander converted a layup to bring the Monks to
within, 49-38, with 17 minutes, 44 seconds remaining. Lincoln went
on a 26-7 run over the next six minutes to open a 75-45 lead with
11:05 remaining.
The Monks continued battling until the final buzzer. They finished
with 12 3-pointers.
Saint Joseph's, which led once in the game at 5-4 following a
Mileski layup with 17:51 remaining in the first half, was within,
19-18, at the 9:05 mark of the opening 20 minutes after an Elbie
Murphy basket. Lincoln scored seven consecutive points on a pair of
Myrick baskets, a Leach free-throw and a Sami Wylie jumper to grab
a 26-18 advantage with 7:30 remaining.
The Lions opened their first double-digit lead with 3:29 remaining
in the first half (34-24) after a Myrick basket. Chad Pulkkinen
drilled a 3-pointer to slice Lincoln's lead to 38-30 with 2:21 left
in the first half.
The Association of Division III Independents consists of 18
Division III independent institutions that have joined together to
recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to
provide exempted postseason championship competition in nine sports
in 2005-06. The Association recognizes outstanding athletic
achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and
annual basis. For the second year, the Association provides
statistical services for its members in seven sports. In addition,
it also will announce all-Independent teams at the conclusion of
nine sports this year.