St. Mary's Outlasts Wolverines
ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. - Alex Franz saved the biggest of his game-high 23 points for last as he scored four points in the final 45 seconds to seal a 79-73 win for St. Mary's over Wesley College in the regular season finale for both teams.
The game was for the top seed in the upcoming Capital Athletic Conference Championship Tournament. With the win, the Seahawks occupy the top seed in the tournament, while the the Wolverines own the second seed.
A putback by Alphonzo Wright (Dover, Del./Polytech) and free throws by James Stratton (Magnolia, Del./Caesar Rodney) had the Wolverines behind by just a pair, 75-73, with 1:09 to go. But Franz hit a three from the top of the key for a five-point lead with 45 seconds to play. The point guard then made one of two free throws with 17 seconds left to ice the game.
The Seahawks led by as many as 15 in the first half after threes by Mike Fitzpatrick and Franz. But after Franz gave the Seahawks a 31-16 lead with 9:01 left in the half, Rashawn Johnson (Selbyville, Del./Sussex Tech) and Evan Martin (Wilmington, Del./Laurinburg {N.C.} Institute) scored eight points apiece in a 22-6 Wesley run that put Wolverines ahead 38-37 with 3:15 to go. St. Mary's regrouped, however, and took a 45-40 lead into the break.
In the second half, Wesley trailed by as many as nine on four occasions before a three by Martin cut the Seahawks lead to just a single point with 3:51 on the clock. Franz found Mike Bowden for a bucket at the other end on St. Mary's next possession, however, to end the Wesley run and set up Franz's finish.
Stratton, coming off a 29-point effort on Wednesday, had another big game with 19 points, four assists and five steals to lead the Wolveirnes. He hit 6-of-12 from the field and was a perfect 7-of-7 from the line. Martin added 17 points and Johnson had 16 in his return from the flu. Both players hit 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Wright gave Wesley four players in double figures with 12 points.
Calvin Wise had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Seahawks, while Bowden added a dozen and Fitzpatrick scored 10 points.
In addition to his game-high point total, Franz had six rebounds, seven assists and three steals.
While Wesley forced the Seahawks into 26 turnovers and committed just 13, the Wolverines were undone by a second half that saw them hit just 11-of-37 from the field.
As the two-seed in the CAC tournament, Wesley receives a bye in the quarterfinals and will host the winner of the Mary Washington/York (Pa.) game on Thursday, February 26 in Dover.
