WILLIAMSTOWN, MA. -- Rich Dunham netted a game-high 22 points to help lead Gwynedd Mercy to a 73-65 win over Plattsburgh State in an NCAA Tournament First-Round Game Friday night at Williams College.
The Griffins move on to the second round where they'll square off with either the host Ephs or Husson tomorrow at 7 p.m. with a berth to the Sweet 16.
Jeff Seigafuse added 19 off the bench with Matt Sommers (13 points) and Somah Slewion (11 points) also hitting double digits. The team tied a season high with 14 three pointers on the evening, including eight in the first half.
The Griffins shot 53% in the second stanza, taking a 38-32 lead at the half and did not trail the rest of the way. Greg Barton's three-point play gave GMercyU its largest lead of the contest (60-46) with just over nine minutes to go.
Back-to-back three's from the Cardinal's Isiah Hill pulled Plattsburgh to 68-63 with 2:54 on the clock. Seigafuse helped turn the tide for good with his fourth triple of the game with 1:04 to go. He then hit two at the free-throw line for a 73-63 lead and to help cement the outcome.
Brandon Johnson scored 17 for the Cardinals, from the State University of New York Conference, while Hill kicked in 15. The Griffins limited Plattsburgh to just 4-of-10 shooting in the second half.
Gwynedd advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in program history. It was the first meeting between the two schools.