By Brandy Thurston, Director of Sports Information
(Nyack, NY – March 2, 2013) The Morrisville State College men’s 
basketball team made history Saturday night, stunning Ramapo College with an 86-78 victory in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, the first ever post-season win in the NCAA Tournament for the college.
Morrisville State (22-5) advances to face Rhode Island College, who topped Hobart in extra time. Ramapo, ranked #15 nationally by D3hoops.com, ends the season with a 23-5 record.
Four tallied double figures for the Mustangs as nine contributed to the win, including junior forward Mickey Davis (Syracuse, N.Y.) who led the charge with 19 points and six rebounds. Four of Davis’ shots were from long range.
Kucjok Ater (Syracuse, N.Y.) came off the bench to add 16, snagging eight rebounds, while teammate Rhamel Williams (Bronx, N.Y.) chipped in 14 on perfect shooting from the floor.
Brandon Henry (Harlem, N.Y.) tallied 12 to round out the scoring leader board.
Brandon Hanks (Syracuse, N.Y.) tallied nine points and led the way with nine rebounds, adding a team best seven assists and five steals.
Elgin Brown and Stephon Treadwell each tallied 24 for Ramapo, while Will Sanborn was held to 13. Treadwell collected a team best 11 rebounds.
A back and forth battle through the opening six minutes of the contest, Ramapo went on a 6-0 run to claim a six point lead with 12:51 to go in the first.
After Ater hit a free throw to cut it to five, Henry nailed one from the left corner and added a fast break layup seconds later, to tie the contest for the fourth time in the opening stanza.
With 8:05 showing on the clock in the first, Ater threw down a dunk that ignited a 15-7 Morrisville State run that put the Mustangs ahead by eight with 2:35 to go, a lead that wouldn’t be relinquished for the remainder of the contest, before closing out the half with another as time expired for the 47-38 halftime advantage.
In the second, the Mustangs increased the lead to as many as 21, before Ramapo gradually brought the gap to within striking distance, closing it to single digits with 1:22 remaining in regulation.
Ramapo was able to sneak within six with 26 ticks remaining, but Davis and Hanks converted key free throws down the stretch to secure the win.
The evenly matched contest found the Mustangs winning the critical battle on the boards, 39-31, and shooting battle as they hit 32-of-60 from the floor (53.3%), including 6-of-19 from long range.
The key difference was the contribution off the bench, as Morrisville State outscored Ramapo 36-2.
Information on next week’s second round game will be released as it becomes available.