Case Western Reserve University graduate student forward Colin Kahl scored a game-high 20 points and junior guard Sam Trunley added 15 points to lead the sixth-ranked Spartans to a 66-51 win in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship in front of an electric home crowd at Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland, Ohio.

CWRU matched its program record for wins in a season, improving to 22-4 with the win. It marked the third straight season that the Spartans have advanced to the second round of the tournament.

Saturday's win sets up a second-round matchup for the Spartans against 22nd-ranked Hope College on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. at Horsburgh Gymnasium. The Flying Dutchmen defeated Anderson University 95-79 earlier in the day on Friday.

General admission tickets will go on sale for Saturday's game at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday at https://cglink.me/2cS/r2255570. In addition, 400 free tickets will be available for CWRU students, courtesy of the Office of Student Affairs and interim Vice President for Student Affairs Peter Whiting. Interested students can claim tickets while supplies last starting at 8:00 a.m. at https://cglink.me/2cS/r2255571.

Kahl shot an efficient nine-of-12 from the floor and added eight rebounds, an assist, and a block in the win. Trunley finished the contest shooting six-of-12 and made three-of-seven three-point attempts while collecting seven rebounds and an assist. Graduate student guard Anthony Mazzeo finished the game with 11 points, becoming just the second player in program history to score 500 points in a season.

The Spartans played one of their best defensive halves of the season, holding Mary Baldwin to just 19.1% (6-31) shooting overall and 7.1% (1-14) from behind the three-point line. Meanwhile, CWRU never trailed in the first half, taking a 2-0 lead on a layup by graduate student guard Richie Manigault 48 seconds into the game, and were ahead by six, 15-9 with 11:01 left in the first half, when the defense locked down, holding the Fighting Squirrels without a point over the next seven minutes and nine seconds. CWRU was able to outscore Mary Baldwin 10-0 during the stretch, taking a 25-9 lead with 5:03 left in the frame on a layup by Kahl. CWRU maintained a double-digit lead for the rest of the half, taking a 27-15 lead into the break.

The Fighting Squirrels scored the first five points of the second half to pull back within seven points with 19:25 left in the game. However, an 8-0 burst by the Spartans, capped by a layup off an offensive rebound from Trunley, helped CWRU boost its lead to 37-22 with 15:56 remaining. CWRU maintained a double-figure lead the rest of the way and led by as many as 23 points, going ahead 53-30 with 10:07 left on a layup by Rashid. The Spartans lead never shrunk to less than 15 the rest of the way, as the team cruised to the 15-point win.

CWRU finished the game shooting 45.2% overall, including 53.3% in the second half. Meanwhile, CWRU held the Fighting Squirrels to a 29.5% mark from the floor and 14.8% from long range. The Spartans finished the game with a 46-26 edge in points in the pain.

Mary Baldwin, which was making its first-ever NCAA appearance, saw its season come to a close with a 17-11 overall record.