IRVINE, Calif. – In what was expected to be a knock-down, drag-out affair between two of the Pacific West Conference's top teams, fans in attendance at the CU Arena got just that.
Chaminade University took the PacWest's second-place team into overtime but couldn't make the plays it needed in suffering a 91-83 loss at Concordia Irvine.
Grant Dressler (Las Vegas/Sacramento State/Palo Verde HS) led the Silverswords with 28 points, including a 3-pointer which sent the game into overtime. He also pulled down 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season in playing all 45 minutes.
Tyler Cartaino (Newbury Park, Calif./Newbury Park) added 16 points and seven boards while
Andre Arissol (Northampton, England/Otero JC/Charnwood HS) contributed with 11.
Erik Scheive (Marysville, Calif./Yuba College/Marysville HS) chipped in with 10 points.
Nicholas Anderson (Fullerton College/Canyon HS), from nearby Anaheim, Calif., and playing in front of a large group of supporters, tied his career-high with nine assists.
The loss dropped Chaminade, ranked No. 7 in the first NCAA West Regional rankings, to 20-6 overall and into a tie for third with Azusa Pacific with a 14-6 conference mark. If the season ended today, the 'Swords would own the tiebreaker by virtue of their 2-0 record over fifth-place Holy Names while APU split its series with the Hawks.
Brian Chambers sparked Concordia, ranked No. 10 in the West Region, with 29 points. The Eagles (22-8, 18-3 PacWest) clinched a first-round bye into the PacWest Tournament and will face Point Loma for a chance to clinch a share of the conference regular season championship.
Arissol got things rolling for Chaminade by scoring the game's first five points which was the team's largest lead of the game. Concordia came back with later in the half with an 11-2 run that turned a three-point deficit into a six-point lead with 2:19 remaining. However the 'Swords got the final six points of the half, the final being a breakaway flush by Cartaino to knot the game at 37 at the break.
The teams exchanged leads early in the second half before CUI opened up a 50-45 edge four minutes in. However
Jake Hutchings (Las Vegas/Howard College/Centennial HS) had six of his eight points with consecutive triples followed by a Cartaino bucket to put CUH ahead 56-52 with 13:20 left.
From there it was whoever would flinch first. For the remainder of the half, the lead by either team was never more than three. There were also four ties and 10 lead changes in the last 13 minutes. There were two lead changes and two ties in the final minute alone including Dressler who buried a right-wing 3-pointer with 34 seconds left to tie the game at 76. After forcing a Kyle Gray miss on Concordia's ensuing possession, the 'Swords had a chance to win in regulation but Anderson's running 3 at the top of the circle hit the side of the rim at the buzzer.
In overtime Concordia scored the first four points then Anderson's layup cut the deficit to 80-78. After four empty possessions the Eagles got the biggest shot of the game when Gray sank a 3 with the shot clock winding down with 1:12 left to put CUI up 83-78. The 'Swords couldn't answer on their next possession and the Eagles hit all eight of their free throws to seal the game on their Senior Night.
Chaminade shot 49.3 percent from the floor to Concordia's 43 but were out-rebounded, 44-38. The Eagles were also outstanding from the charity stripe, making 23-of-26 to just 5-of-11 for the 'Swords.
With regionally-ranked squads UC San Diego (No. 6), Cal State East Bay (No. 8), Western Oregon (No. 9) and CUI going a combined 10-0 this week, it is likely the 'Swords will drop out of the region's top eight heading into the second set of rankings which will be released on Wednesday. The West Region's top eight squads earn bids to the NCAA Regionals.
The Silverswords return to McCabe Gymnasium in their home finale against Notre Dame de Namur. Seniors Anderson, Dressler, Scheive and
Masa Swain (San Jose, Calif./Bellarmine Prep) will be honored following the game.
