Men’s Basketball loses NCAA DIII championship

Photo by Elmhurst University

Closing out an unprecedented season, the Elmhurst University men’s basketball team finished as runner-up against top-ranked Randolph-Macon College in the NCAA Division III Championship game on March 19. 

The EU Bluejays were playing in Fort Wayne, Ind. over the course of two days where EU won against Wabash College, moving into the final round of the DIII championship. 

At the championship, the Bluejays made EU history by losing to Randolph-Macon College, coming up short in the last 40 minutes of the season with a final score of 45-75, but their long 34-game journey was not done in vain. 

Concluding the season as championship runner-ups is the farthest any EU athletics team has ever advanced in the NCAA DIII finals. 

In the post-game press conference head coach John Baines said, “Flat out they’re the best team that’s ever put a uniform on with this school history, so that’s something to say for 100 plus years.” 

After COVID-19 caused the team’s 2019-20 season-winning run to end prematurely, EU had unfinished business to attend to. 

With their 27 single-season victories and two CCIW Tournament titles under their belt, it was no surprise EU earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament. However, unlike seasons before, the team’s winning mentality materialized and carried them all the way to the final contest.

Unfortunately, from the initial jump ball to the final buzzer, EU offensively struggled against the Yellow Jackets’ unique zone defense. In the first half, EU hit only 28 percent of shots in comparison to Randolph-Macon’s 43 percent. 

EU’s usual tenacity was shakey despite lead scorer Lavon Thomas and All-American Jake Rhode’s effort to knock down buckets. 

Jonathan Zapinski contributed on a few jumpers that brought EU up 18-17, with eight minutes left to go in the half. Yet, the Yellow Jackets responded with a threatening 10-0 run. 

Against Randolph-Macon, a top defensive team in America, there was little to no room for error. The opposing team capitalized on nearly every turnover and the deficit continued to widen in the second half. 

In their low-scoring game, Thomas led EU two rebounds short of a double-double. Rhode finished with nine points, while Ocean Johnson put up seven and collected six rebounds. Wesley Hooker added six points and six rebounds; Dominic Genco scored six. 

Although it was not the outcome EU sought out, this incredible season made a significant impact on not only the campus, but the community. Alumni and fans traveled far and wide to pack the stadium in support. 

The EU men’s basketball team paved the way for teams to come, pushing the “Jay Way” mindset to an even further threshold. Their restless work and willingness to compete serve a greater purpose than they may realize. 

After all, like Baines said in the post-game press conference, “The journey isn’t the end of the road, the journey is the road.”