BALTIMORE, MD – Sophomores George Bugarinovic and Jimmy Hammer combined for 29 points to pace Johns Hopkins to a 67-61 win over visiting Swarthmore in the 12th annual Wall-O'Mahony Game. Bugarinovic was named the game MVP for the Blue Jays, as they win their fifth straight to improve to 14-7 overall and 10-4 in the Centennial Conference. Will Gates earned game MVP honors for the Garnet, who fall to 5-16 on the season and 4-10 in the conference.
The Wall-O'Mahony game is played annually in February in honor of Glen Wall and Matt O'Mahony, teammates on the Hopkins men's basketball team from 1982 to 1984. They were best friends and both lost their lives in the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2011.
Hammer gave Hopkins a one-point lead at the 15:37 mark of the second half with a three-pointer, the first of his four in the second stanza. That bucket kick-started a 13-0 run as the Blue Jays pushed out to a 48-37 lead less than four minutes later. Hammer accounted for 11 of the Jays' 13 points during the run, which was capped by a fast-break layup from freshman Gene Williams. The teams traded baskets over the ensuing three and a half minutes before a quick 6-1 burst by the Garnet made it a six-point game with 5:23 to play.
Hopkins quickly answered with a five-point possession as Joe Keedy was called for a flagrant foul on junior Connor McIntyre, sending him to the line for two and giving Hopkins the ball. McIntyre drained both of his shots and then on the ensuing possession, Hammer hit nothing but net on a three-pointer to stake Hopkins to a 58-47 lead. The Garnet were able to get no closer than six over the final three minutes as the Blue Jays sealed the win at the free throw line.
It was a close one early as neither team could build more than a three-point lead and there were five lead changes and four ties in the opening 11 minutes. Jay Kober scored six straight points for the Garnet in 89 seconds to push the visitors on top 16-12. Hammer cut it back to two with a jumper but back-to-back buckets from Sean Thaxter made it a six-point game. The teams once again went basket for basket as Swarthmore led 25-18 with 4:58 to go in the half on a Kober layup.
Spengler got a bucket in the paint, followed by a triple from senior Mike Rhoads and the lead was down to two. Jordan Cheney and Gates sandwiched buckets around a Spengler jumper and the lead was still four with 1:16 to play. Rhoads would pull the Blue Jays within one with another three-pointer at the 30-second mark and junior Connor McIntyre had the chance to put Hopkins up at the half but his layup with time winding down missed the mark and Swarthmore led 29-28.
The Blue Jays and the Garnet went back-and-forth to start the second half as the lead changed hands seven times in the first four and a half minutes. The last lead change came with Hammer's big three at 15:37 and the Blue Jays would not trail again.
Bugarinovic finished with 14 points, going 5-of-8 from the field while also grabbing seven boards and handing out four assists. Hammer led the Blue Jays with 17 points, fueled by a 4-of-6 showing from three-point range. While McIntyre had 12 points and three blocks and Spengler finished with 10. Gates led all scorers and three Garnet in double figures with 18 points and eight rebounds. Keedy added 16 points and nine rebounds, while Kober finished with 14.
Hopkins returns to action and wraps up its three-game home stand on Wednesday, February 6 as the Blue Jays host longtime rival McDaniel. Tip off at Goldfarb Gym is slated for 8:00 pm.