WESTMINSTER, Md. - The Haverford College men's basketball team held on for a 61-60 quarterfinal victory over host McDaniel College in a Centennial Conference tournament game Wednesday night sending the Fords into the semifinal round where they will meet host and No. 15 Franklin & Marshall College Saturday at 3 p.m.
A Cam Baker jumper from the foul line with 48 seconds remaining pushed Haverford (14-11) to a 61-56 lead over the Green Terror (13-13) but a pair of McDaniel baskets trimmed the lead to just one.
With 17 seconds remaining, the Fords went to the free throw line but missed the front-end of a 1-and-1. McDaniel pulled down the rebound and pushed up court with a chance to hit the winning basket.
Michael Jarboe launched a jumper from the right wing for the Green Terror but it was off the mark and when Sam Permutt snared the rebound, it clinched the win for the Fords and punched their ticket into the semifinal round.
A back and fourth second half -- with eight lead changes and six ties -- followed an opening 20 minutes that featured long runs by each team and half as many lead changes and ties.
The Fords broke open an 8-8 tie in the early going with a 10-0 streak and looked like they might run away with the game, but McDaniel answered back with a 9-0 run to pull within one at 18-17.
McDaniel managed to pull even at 22-22 but Haverford out scored the hosts 11-6 over the remaining minutes -- which included a long-range three-pointer by Louis Cipriano that beat the buzzer -- taking a 33-28 lead into the half.
Permutt finished with a double-double, 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Baker poured in 19 points, perhaps none bigger than his jumper in the final minute. Permutt also provided five of Haverford's nine blocked shots in the game.
Devan Lesniak finished with 19 points for McDaniel who got 13 more from Cullen Murray-Kemp.
Wednesday's win was the first postseason triumph by the Fords since an overtime semifinal victory in 2007 over Ursinus College. McDaniel has not won a postseason game since 1961.
Next up for Haverford is the 15th-ranked Diplomats in the league semifinals. F&M defeated the Fords twice during the regular season.