Complete Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Mar. 23) – In the end, Jared Moultrie got it right.

“The taste in our mouth is bitter,” said the Seattle Pacific University reserve guard reflected, “but the memories are sweet.”

It was a Big Picture statement, one which will hold up against time. Unfortunately the Falcons were living in the moment, and a particularly sad one after falling to defending NCAA Division II champion Virginia Union, 68-63, in a national semifinal game Thursday night at the MassMutual Center.

Seattle Pacific (26-6) held its own and, in fact, held a nine-point second-half lead against the Panthers. Yet in the final two minutes–usually a time when SPU makes the plays–Virginia Union (30-3) got it done.

A resolute defense denied any baskets in those closing stages while Buster Perkins converted a key offensive rebound for a 66-63 lead with 45 seconds to go. The Falcons missed eight of their final nine field-goal attempts and two front ends of 1-and-1 free throws in the last five minutes.

It was an uncharacteristic finish for a team which had not surrendered a lead in the final 10 minutes of any game. Entering that phase of the game, SPU held a 58-51 advantage following a layup by Drew Matzen (Jr., 6-4, Bothell, Wa./Lynnwood).

Matzen came through with a career-best 19 points, hitting five three-pointers and opening the second period with a thunderous dunk off a rim-high feed from Tony Binetti (Sr., 6-1, Enumclaw, Wa.). Binetti closed his fine career with 17 points, seven assists and four steals.

It was a Binetti three-pointer which tied the game at 63-all at the 2:10 mark. It was also the final points Seattle Pacific could muster. VUU swarmed to challenge each perimeter shot and a Matzen miss from the right corner with 27 seconds remaining seemed to signal that time had essentially run out.

A foul shot by Darius Hargrove with 24 seconds left pushed it to 67-63 and a two-possession game. Moultrie was stopped underneath and Dustin Bremerman’s (Sr., 6-4, Yakima, Wa./Eisenhower) three-point attempt caromed off the back rim with 0:11 left.

Hargrove, one of two VUU All-Americans, played the entire game and finished with 24 points. Brad Byerson had 14 and 16 rebounds.

A season which began with Seattle Pacific picked to finish fourth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, ended as well as any on record. Not only a GNAC title but only the third trip to the Elite Eight in 41 years.

“We’re just as good or better than any team here,” said Moultrie. “On any given night we can beat any team.”

One of the top shooting teams in the nation. SPU hit only 41 percent (22-54) from the floor– VUU opponents manage only 38 percent, on average–and missed seven of 14 free throws. Both were among the three-poorest percentages this season.

“They shot the ball well in the second half and we didn’t,” said SPU coach Jeff Hironaka. VUU hit 63 percent(15-24) in the final 20 minutes and 51 percent overall.

Otherwise, the Falcons executed their game plan. VUU out-rebounds opponents by nearly 10 per game, but had just a 37-31 tote. It’s trapping defense only forced eight SPU turnovers.

At one point, Seattle Pacific appeared to be on its way to a first championship game appearance. Matzen fired a pair of long threes during a 14-2 burst for a 53-44 lead. Less than two minutes later, Hargrove brought VUU back to 53-51.

Virginia Union will try to become the first repeat champion in 12 years when it faces the Winona State (Mn.)-Stonehill (Ma.) winner Saturday.

VIRGINIA UNION 68, SEATTLE PACIFIC 63
VIRGINIA UNION (30-3) HARGROVE, Darius 8-16 3-4 22; GREENE, Chris 6-10 2-2 14; BYERSON, Brad 5-9 4-9 14; CROCKETT, Duan 3-8 2-2 8; SMITH, Quincy 2-5 0-0 6; PERKINS, Buster 1-1 0-0 2; MILLER, Steve 1-2 0-0 2; THONDIQUE, John 0-0 0-0 0; TOOMBS, John 0-0 0-0 0; WANSLEY, Jason 0-0 0-0 0; YOUNG, Tim 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-51 11-17 68.
SEATTLE PACIFIC (26-6) MATZEN, Drew 7-13 0-0 19; BINETTI, Tony 6-12 2-3 17; BREMERMAN, Dustin 2-11 2-2 8; WILL, Robbie 3-5 2-5 8; BUSHMAKER, Mike 2-3 1-4 5; WILLIAMS, Chad 1-5 0-0 3; Knudson,Jeff 1-2 0-0 3; GABELEIN, Tim 0-0 0-0 0; YUEN, Austin 0-0 0-0 0; LYNCH, Brian 0-0 0-0 0; MOULTRIE, Jared 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 22-54 7-14 63.
Halftime-VUU 33, SPU 30. 3-point goals-VUU 5-11 (HARGROVE, Darius 3-7; SMITH, Quincy 2-3; MILLER, Steve 0-1), SPU 12-32 (MATZEN, Drew 5-10; BINETTI, Tony 3-6; BREMERMAN, Dustin 2-10; WILLIAMS, Chad 1-2; Knudson,Jeff 1-2; MOULTRIE, Jared 0-1; BUSHMAKER, Mike 0-1). Fouled out--None. Rebounds-VUU 37 (BYERSON, Brad 16), SPU 31 (BREMERMAN, Dustin 7). Assists-VUU 9 (BYERSON, Brad 4), SPU 16 (BINETTI, Tony 7). Total fouls-VUU 15, SPU 16.