LANCASTER (PA) – Junior guard Francis Arnold scored a game-high 20 points and had a crucial steals in the closing seconds as Delaware Valley College, despite missing two starters to injuries, pulled out a 74-73 victory over 2013 NCAA qualifier Hobart College in the opening round of the Sponaugle New Years Tournament at Franklin & Marshall College.
The win improved the Aggies to 6-5 and it marked the second time this year that the defending Freedom Conference champions defeated another league titlist as the Statesmen (5-3) took the Liberty League crown a season ago. Earlier in the year, Delaware Valley notched a 92-83, overtime win over defending New Jersey Athletic Conference champion Ramapo College.
The Aggies will now play the host Diplomats, who downed Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) in the other opening round contest, in Saturday's championship game at 7:30 p.m.
Delaware Valley was without the services of 2013 Freedom Rookie of the Year Zach Sly and junior swingman Jay Donovan, who both sat out with injuries. Despite their absences, the Aggies used a 15-4 run in the first half to open up a 36-23 advantage. Chris Moran and Nick Sullivan combined for 11 points in the spurt.
Delaware Valley built the lead to 14 with 2:28 to go before halftime when Hobart scored the final eight points to make it a 44-38 contest. The Statesmen continued their run in the opening minute of the second half as a three-point play by Joe Gibbons cut their deficit down to three.
The Aggies responded with the game's next nine points to bump their lead back up to 12, 53-41, with 15:44 remaining. Four different players scored including the final two points from the foul line by Arnold.
The teams then traded points with Arnold hitting two again from the charity stripe. Hobart battled back with a 10-2 run, including five from Gibbons, to cut Delaware Valley's advantage to two, 55-53, with 9:17 left on the clock. The Aggies made it a seven-point game four minutes later, but the Statesmen came back again and tied it at 71-71 when Trey Blanding hit one of two free throws with 1:25 remaining.
Both teams had a turnover and a missed 3-pointer over the next minute of play with Hobart's miscue coming with 13 seconds left when Nate Brown stole the ball from behind a Statesman near the halfcourt lead. Brown came back down and fed Moran, who was fouled with 11.7 seconds left. Moran missed his first free throw but swished the second for a 72-71 lead.
Delaware Valley put on a full-court press on the inbounds and Arnold knocked the ball away and Brown swept in to get possession and was fouled with 8.8 ticks left. He hit both free throws for a three-point lead. Hobart came down the court and a strong Aggie defense did not allow an open shot. Blanding was able to get a contested shot off and hit it at the buzzer, but he was just inside the 3-point line and Delaware Valley had the one-point win.
Arnold, Brown and Sullivan played 38 minutes apiece and they were the team's leading scorers on the day. In addition to his 20 points, Arnold added six rebounds, five assists and five steals. Brown, in his first start, had a season-high 16 points while Sullivan hit four treys and finished with 14 points. Chris Moran added 14 points and five boards in 32 minutes of action.
Gibbons had 18 points and six boards for Hobart. Richie Bonney notched 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks while Connor Rehbaum had 16 points and 10 boards.