SWARTHMORE, Pa. – It was rivalry night around the Centennial Conference and Wednesday's Haverford/Swarthmore men's basketball game was everything that has come to be expected when the two schools meet. The Fords went to overtime for just the fifth time in 168 career meetings with the Garnet, but ultimately came up on the wrong end of a back-and-forth 76-75 final.
In a game that featured 15 lead changes and 14 different tied scores, Swarthmore took the lead for the final time on a pair of free throws with 11 seconds to play in the overtime session. Haverford had a pair of chances to win in the remaining time. A turnover off the inbounds play after a timeout ended the first possession. Swarthmore then missed both ends of the double bonus free throws after a Haverford foul, but the Fords were unable to hit the rushed three-pointer as time expired in an attempt to steal the lead back at the final buzzer.
Swarthmore's late escape with the victory put a sour ending to a career night for James Levine as he finished with a career-high 27 points. Levine was one of four Haverford players to finish with 10 or more points as Anthony Reyes (15 points), Matt Sherman (14 points), and Gibby Graves (10 points) also recorded double figure scoring outings. Chris Bourne led Swarthmore with 20 points and 12 rebounds in the victory.
The Fords and Garnet were tied six times in the opening half, the final of which came at 36-all before Swarthmore scored the last four points in the half to take a 40-36 lead into the locker room. The Garnet also scored the first two points of the second half and matched their largest lead of the night at 44-38 with just over 17 minutes left in regulation.
However, that Swarthmore lead would be short lived as the Haverford offense came alive with a 12-0 run during which the Garnet were held without a point for nearly four minutes. Levine tied the game with an old fashioned three-point play and later added a layup to the rally, while Sherman gave Haverford the lead with a three-pointer from beyond the arc. With the Haverford lead at nine points – the largest advantage for either side on the night – Swarthmore answered with back-to-back three-pointers before tying and eventually taking a lead of its own at the free throw line.
Haverford took its final lead of the regulation time when Levine knocked down one of his four three-pointers on the evening to put his squad up 68-67 with 2:34 to play. Levine also got to the line with 56 seconds to play and added two more free throws for a 70-67 advantage in the Fords' favor. Nevertheless, Swarthmore answered with a three from Matt Brennan on the next set, while a potential game-tying basket from Haverford did not go in the final seconds of regulation.
In just a brief five minute overtime session, the play very closely mirrored the regulation periods with five lead changes and three ties in that extra time. Both times Haverford took the lead it was Sherman that put on the finishing touches. He hit a pair of free throws with 4:03 left, putting his squad up 73-72. Sherman also cut through the lane with 1:33 left to give Haverford a 75-74 edge.
Haverford forced a jump ball turnover from Swarthmore on its next possession, but could not convert on the offensive end. Swarthmore got to the free throw line where Zack Yonda hit both ends of the double bonus for the final two points of the evening.
After three straight games on the road, men's basketball will return to the Gooding '84 Arena for back-to-back home dates. The first of those games will be this Saturday when No. 14 Franklin & Marshall comes to town for a 1 p.m. tip.