MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – With a 19-point run midway through the first half, sixth-ranked Middlebury College was able to move past the 15^th-ranked Lycoming College men's basketball team, 95-76, in NCAA Division III Championship Second Round on Saturday night, March 4, at Pepin Gymnasium.
 
The Warriors (24-5 overall) finished off a remarkable season in which it won a school-record 24 games, three more than the previous mark set in 1995-96, 2003-04 and 2009-10, as it repeated as MAC Commonwealth champions, becoming the first team in school history to repeat as conference champions. The team's 2,373 surpassed the school record of 2,330 set in 1995-96, its 861 field goals also breaking the mark of 839 set in 1996.
 
"I couldn't be more proud of a team that I've coached," Lycoming's ninth-year head coach Guy Rancourt said. "There are so many teams that I've really enjoyed coaching and I can't say that one is better than another as far as talent and personnel goes. As far as a team effort, this could be the best team I have ever coached."
 
Junior Darius James (Brooklyn, N.Y./Bishop Loughlin) led the Warriors with 13 points, five rebounds and four steals. Sophomore T.J. Duckett (Severna Park, Md./Calvert Hall) added 12 points and senior Nyk King (Harlem, N.Y./Manhattan Center for Science & Math) added 10 points, five assists and four rebounds.
 
King finished his career with the Warriors as the player that won the most games in the blue and gold uniform, with the team having posted a 74-34 (.685) during his career as well as winning two MAC Commonwealth titles with classmates Willie Kee (Baltimore, Md./Parkville) and David Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Communications Tech), who joined him during their junior years from junior colleges.
 
"We played with passion," Rancourt said. "I am very proud of them individually for the people they are on the court and off the court. They are going to be wonderful young men. It is going to be sad to miss David Johnson, Willie Kee and Nyk King. They've done just such a wonderful job in leading us and creating such a positive energy in the campus and the community."
 
Middlebury (26-3 overall), which won its 26^th game, its most since 2012, shot 49 percent (36-of-74) from the field and hit 10 3-pointers, in the win, with NESCAC Player of the Year Matt St. Amour finishing with 30 points, six 3-pointers and four steals to lead the charge.
 
The Warriors stayed close to the Panthers for the first 10 minutes, rolling back from a five-point deficit to tie the game at 17 off a 3-pointer from sophomore Calvin Chandler (Lake Worth, Fla./Park Vista) and retying it at 19 off a layup inside by junior Chris Wallace (Randallstown, Md./Calvert Hall).
 
The Panthers scored the next 19 points, though, in a four-minute span to take a 38-19 lead, with St. Amour leading the way with nine points. From there, the Warriors battled the lead down to 15 points before the Panthers got the lead back to 20 at 52-32, at the break.
 
The Warriors worked the lead down to 14 points twice in the second half, but Middlebury was able to bring the lead back each time, with it getting to as many as 24 points twice. The Warriors closed outscored the Panthers, 44-43, in the period, thanks to a late five-point run, with sophomore Hiro Yamaki (Sakata, Japan/Sakata East) hitting a 3-pointer and sophomore Jordan Howze (Washington D.C./School Without Walls) hitting a jumper.
 
Matt Folger finished with 18 points and five rebounds, Jack Daly had 14 points, six assists and five rebounds and Adisa Majors finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks for the Panthers.