Kevin Shay, Jeff Gibbs, and Tony Borghese combined for 75 points to lead Otterbein to a 102-83 win over Elizabethtown in the final of the 2002 Division III Men's Basketball Championship at the Salem Civic Center.
Gibbs, the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, had 25 points and a championship series record 25 rebounds in the game for Otterbein (30-3). Shay hit 10-of-20 shots from the field, 4-of-6 threes, and 5-of-6 free throws for a game high 29 points. Borghese netted 11-of-14 free throws on his way to a 21-point, eight-assist performance. Brian Loftus and Bob Porambo scored 17 points apiece to lead four Elizabethtown (39-3) players in double-digits. Jon English added 14 and Lab Daecher had 10 for the Blue Jays. Trailing 47-42 in the game's final eight minutes, Otterbein rattled off a 16-0 run over the next 3:27 to claim the title.
Borghese had eight points in the run, connecting on a three and hitting five free throws. Elizabethtown twice led by double-digits, and held a 54-48 advantage thanks to a 51.3% (20-of-39) field goal percentage in the opening half. Otterbein connected at a 45.0% (18-of-40) pace, and held a 23-20 rebounding advantage. Otterbein connected on 57.7% (15-of-26) of its shots in the second half on its way to a 50.0% (33-of-66) pace in the game. The Cardinals also outscored Elizabethtown 48-18 over the final 14 minutes of the game.
Gibbs set NCAA Division III Tournament records with 83 total rebounds while his 16.6 average in the tournament is also a record. The 6-3 senior also grabbed 40 rebounds in the two-game championship series.
Otterbein 102, Elizabethtown 83
All-Tournament Team
Jeff Gibbs, Otterbein (Most Outstanding Player)
Kevin Shay, Otterbein
Bob Porambo, Elizabethtown
Seth Hauben, Rochester
Jason Wiertel, Carthage
Third-Place Game
Carthage 72, Rochester 51
National Semifinals
Otterbein 70, Carthage 66
Elizabethtown 93, Rochester 83 (OT)
| First Round | Second Round | Sectionals | |
| 12.Ripon 56 at 5.UW-Oshkosh 71 |
at 1.St. Thomas 85 5.UW-Oshkosh 88 (OT) |
5.UW-Oshkosh 71 8.Lewis & Clark 79 |
2.Carthage 85 8.Lewis & Clark 70 |
| 9.Clar.-Mudd-Scripps 59 at 8.Lewis & Clark 81 |
at 4.Miss. College 57 8.Lewis & Clark 70 |
||
| at 6.St. Norbert 53 10.Hope 54 |
at 2.Carthage 63 10.Hope 57 |
7.Gust. Adolphus 65 2.Carthage 71 |
|
| 11.Edgewood 65 at 7.Gustavus 74 |
at 3.Buena Vista 80 7.Gustavus Adolphus 88 |
||
| First Round | Second Round | Sectionals | |
| 12.Webster 45 at 6.Maryville (Tenn.) 70 |
at 1.Washington U. 71 6.Maryville 57 |
1.Washington U. 87 4.DePauw 90 |
2.Otterbein 87 4.DePauw 79 |
| at 5.Wittenberg 75 10.Franklin 44 |
at 4.DePauw 89 5.Wittenberg 72 |
||
| at 7.Gettysburg 59 9.Lycoming 78 |
at 3.Randolph-Macon 79 9.Lycoming 62 |
3.Randolph-Macon 72 2.Otterbein 85 |
|
| at 8.Pitt-Bradford 98 11.Bethany 110 |
at 2.Otterbein 121 11.Bethany 98 |
||
| First Round | Second Round | Sectionals | |
| at 5.Williams 121 12.Cazenovia 49 |
at 2.Rochester 66 5.Williams 51 |
2.Rochester 71 4.Babson 60 |
2.Rochester 71 1.Brockport St. 62 |
| 11.Lasell 73 at 8.Union 75 |
at 4.Babson 63 8.Union 50 |
||
| 9.Salem State 89 at 7.Western Conn. 92 |
at 3.Amherst 82 7.Western Connecticut 77 |
3.Amherst 64 1.Brockport State 69 |
|
| at 6.Trinity (Conn.) 75 10.Colby-Sawyer 47 |
at 1.Brockport State 80 6.Trinity (Conn.) 61 |
||
| First Round | Second Round | Sectionals | |
| 9.Ithaca 67 at 8.Alvernia 76 |
at 1.Elizabethtown 95 8.Alvernia 84 |
1.Elizabethtown 87 11.Cabrini 85 |
1.Elizabethtown 94 6.Clark 90 |
| at 7.Kings Point 73 11.Cabrini 85 |
at 4.William Paterson 43 11.Cabrini 47 |
||
| at 6.Clark 84 12.Suffolk 77 |
at 3.Staten Island 72 6.Clark 101 |
6.Clark 75 2.Catholic 72 |
|
| at 5.Hamp.-Sydney 92 10.N.C. Wesleyan 79 |
at 2.Catholic 74 5.Hampden-Sydney 66 |
||