St. Louis, Mo., February 26, 2010 – The Washington University in St. Louis men's basketball team closed out the 2010-11 season with a 74-67 loss to the University of Chicago on Saturday afternoon at the WU Field House in St. Louis, Mo.
Prior to the contest, Washington University honored its four seniors who played their final game in the Red and Green on Saturday: Spencer Gay, Isaiah Honick, Caleb Knepper and Brett Sapp. The Class of 2011 compiled an overall record of 91-23 (.798) in their four seasons on the Danforth Campus, with two Final Four appearances, two University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships and the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Division III National Championship.
Sophomore Ben Hoener recorded his first-career double-double with 15 points and 10 assists to go along with seven rebounds. Freshman Tim Cooney tied his career-high with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting and Gay chipped in 14 to reach double figures in scoring in 23 of 25 games this season.
Washington U. trailed by as many as 11 points in the first half thanks to a slow shooting start and as a result the Bears never held the lead. Washington University was down 13-5 as it opened the game shooting 2-of-11 from the field, and were just 4-of-18 as Chicago built a 19-9 lead.
With Chicago ahead 26-19, Cooney stole away a pass from Chase Davis, sprinting down the floor for a fast-break lay-up with 3:14 to play, and sophomore Max Needle drained an 18-foot jumper with 40 seconds to play to make the halftime margin just four.
Hoener filled up the stat sheet in the first half with five points, six assists and five rebounds, while Gay led the Bears with eight points to go along with five boards. WUSTL shot 40.6 percent (13-of-32) from the floor through 20 minutes while Chicago was just 11-of-28 (39.3 percent). However the Maroons drained five three-pointers, led by Matt Johnson who was 3-of-6 from long distance with 12 first-half points.
A jump shot from Hoener fewer than two minutes into the second half brought the Bears to within one score, 34-31, but Chicago scored the next five points to extend its lead to eight, and led by as many as 15 points with 12:30 to play. The Bears used a 16-6 run over the next six and a half minute to pull within five points, 59-54. Cooney scored 10 of hits 19 points during that stretch, but Washington U. was unable to pull any closer than five. Chicago answered the run with buckets from Tom Williams and Johnson, and was back in front by 12 as Johnson drained a three with 3:40 to play.
Johnson finished the game with 23 points on 4-of-8 shooting from three-point range, with Michael Sustarsic (15) and Steve Stefanou (13) also scoring in double figures for Chicago. The Maroons shot 45.5 percent from the field and shot 51.9 percent (14-of-27) in the second half.
Washington University opens the 2011-12 season at home on Tuesday, Nov. 15, against MacMurray College. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m., at the WU Field House.
Bear Notebook: Washington University leads the all-time series with Chicago, 42-17 … Chicago entered the game averaging eight three-pointers per game and hit 11 in its win on Saturday.