Christopher Newport men hold off Wheaton to reach Division III Final Four for the third time
On one of the greatest nights in Christopher Newport University athletic history, it appeared one of the greatest starts in Captains men’s basketball history would carry them into the Division III tournament Final Four. It didn’t.
After squandering all but one point of a 24-point first-half lead, the Captains instead used a fantastic finish to defeat Wheaton College, of Illinois, 76-70 in the NCAA Division III tournament quarterfinals Saturday at the Freeman Center.
The victory sent the No. 2-ranked Captains (28-3) into the Final Four for the third time, their first since the 2018-19 season. They will play Swarthmore, of Pennsylvania, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on Thursday at a time to be announced.
Leading 72-70 with 18 seconds remaining, the Captains finished spectacularly with consecutive dunks from Matt Brodie and Norview High graduate Collin Hines. Their slams added to a celebratory atmosphere boosted by the public-address announcement minutes earlier that the CNU women had beaten Tufts in Medford, Massachusetts, to earn a Final Four berth.
“It’s really unbelievable to be at [CNU] at this time,” Captains coach John Krikorian said. “There’s not many schools that ever get a chance to go to the Final Four, let alone have their men and women go on the same night.
“It’s just incredible and a tribute to our entire athletic department.”
In addition to raucous cheers, the final-second theatrics by Brodie and Hines — who traded assists on the game-ending slams — prompted sighs of relief inconceivable during the first half. The Captains made 14 of their first 19 shots to build a 36-14 lead with 4:46 to play in the first half.
Pick a Captains starter and he contributed in some way to the incredible start: Brodie (19 points) and Ty Henderson (16 points) with 3-pointers; Trey Barber (16 points) with a variety of hooks and fadeaway jumpers; Jahn Hines (15 points) from mid-range; and younger brother Collin Hines with defense on Thunder star Tyson Cruickshank.
“Being at home and remembering that game at Marietta last year [a two-point loss in Ohio in the final seconds of the Elite Eight], our guys were really locked in to start the game,” Krikorian said. “Our defense and offense were really interconnected.
“It was a great half, but you’ve got to play two halves and Wheaton’s not going to let you do that.”
The Thunder used a 13-4 run to end the first half to cut the CNU lead to 40-25 at intermission. Following a slow start, Cruickshank (34 points) began heating up with two 3s in the surge. He remained hot in the second half, but it was his two assists to TJ Askew for baskets that pulled the Thunder to within 58-57 with 4:41 remaining.
Wheaton missed two chances to tie the score moments later. After Jahn Hines made 1 of 2 free throws, Askew missed the front end of a one-and-one. Cruickshank then missed a 3-pointer that would have tied the game after Jahn Hines again made 1 of 2 at the line.
Brodie made the Thunder pay by tipping in a missed shot to increase the Captains’ lead to 62-57. The Thunder climbed back to within two points on Cruickshank’s 3 with 18 seconds left, but Brodie and Collin Hines finished them off with their dunks.
“Not many teams get second chances,” Jahn Hines of reaching the Final Four after losing to Marietta last year. “I’m really blessed and proud of my guys that we made it back.”
Henderson said, “Our job is not finished. We want to go to the Final Four and win games.”
