(COLUMBUS, Ohio)--Nate Stahl (St. Henry/St. Henry) hit five three pointers and posted 15 of his game-high 25 points in the first half as Capital University posted a 92-70 win over Bethany (W.Va.) College in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship.
The win gives No. 20-ranked Capital a school-record 24 wins on the season (24-5) and moves the Crusaders on to a second round matchup with No. 1 in the nation Hope (Mich.) College Saturday at 7 p.m. in Holland, Michigan. The victory was also the Crusaders' first NCAA Tournament win since 1996.
Aside from Stahl, Capital got 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds from Steve Kyser (Sylvania/Southview) while Quintin Mitchell (Toledo/Libbey) and Ross Niekamp (St. Henry/St. Henry) came off the bench with 11 and 10 respectively.
Bethany (17-11) had four players in double figures led by Brody Jackson and Marcus Adams each with 16 points.
Bethany scored 11 of the game's first 15 points and a Carey Palermo three-pointer with 15:41 left in the first half gave the Bison an 11-4 lead. Bethany maintained the lead and a Ryan Besancon jumper with 9:53 remaining in the half gave them a 26-20 lead. Capital would then score 11-straight over the next five minutes and a Kyser layup at the 5:29 mark gave the Crusaders a 31-26 lead. Capital had a 34-31 lead when they outscored Bethany 16-1 over the final 4:14 of the half to take a 50-32 lead at the break.
"We made a heck of a run the last 10 minutes of the first half," commented Capital head coach Damon Goodwin. "I thought that was the difference in the ballgame. The other 30 minutes were pretty even."
Capital scored six-straight points to open the second half and extend the lead to 24 points, 56-32, and put the game away.
Saturday's game will be broadcast on the radio on WFCO 90.9 FM and simulcast online at www.capitalcrusaders.net starting at 6:45 p.m. with the Capital Countdown pregame show.