The Jeffs began their Interterm play in San Antonio, Texas, on New Year's Eve against Trinity (Texas) University. The game ended up being a coming-out party for sophomore guard Brian Baskauskas, who scored 22 points to lead the team off the bench and give the Jeffs the boost they needed. The final score was 66-54, with Baskauskas being joined in double figures by Olson, who had 15, and senior quad-captain guard Tim McLaughlin, who had 11.
After surviving its showdown in Texas, the team dismantled Babson College and then faced archrival Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. The Jeffs were without starting guard Adolphe Coulibaly '08, who had to return home to the Ivory Coast to deal with personal matters. Without Coulibaly, the Jeffs struggled to find their rhythm in the first half. Quad-captain center Dan O'Shea '07 got into early foul trouble and McLaughlin had to leave the floor with a cut above his eye. Nonetheless, the Jeffs held a slim three-point lead at intermission. An injury to the hand of O'Shea in the second half was more bad news for the Jeffs, but solid team defense squelched the Ephs, as Williams shot just 20 percent from the floor in the second half. As Amherst found its offensive groove, it pulled away, eventually winning comfortably, 64-45.
Although the Jeffs came away with the win, it was unquestionably costly. O'Shea would miss the next seven games with an injury to his hand, and Coulibaly has yet to rejoin the team. Baskauskas was nevertheless confident the team would survive without their two starters. "We are such a talented and deep team," he said. "We know that anyone, from the first guy to the last guy, is capable of stepping up and being productive."
After barely breaking a sweat to beat Wesleyan University, the team entered its toughest NESCAC weekend of the year without two of its starters. The first game of the weekend was at Tufts University, a dangerous team that had been ranked as high as 12th in the country. Last year the Jumbos took Amherst to overtime in each of the squads' last two meetings, including the game that produced Olson's miracle shot. The Jumbos came ready to play once again, taking it to the Jeffs from the opening buzzer. Tufts shot 61 percent overall and 64 percent from beyond the arc in the first half to take a six-point lead into the locker room at the half.
The beginning of the second half was no better, as the Jumbos quickly streaked out to a 56-43 lead, the only time the Jeffs have trailed by double digits the entire season.Wheeler, Olson and Baskauskas all had huge offensive nights to keep the Jeffs in the game and narrow the lead down the stretch. With just over a minute remaining in regulation, forward Brandon Jones '08 hit a bucket to pull the Jeffs within two. Amherst decided to foul David Shepard, who has hit 73 percent of his shots from the line this season. Shepard nevertheless missed both free throws, allowing Baskauskas to tie the game on the ensuing possession with less than 20 seconds remaining. After Shepard missed another shot on the other end, Baskauskas hauled down the rebound and found Olson tearing down court, but Olson couldn't hit the well-contested layup at the buzzer, sending the game to overtime.
Wheeler got the overtime started on the right foot, hitting a three-pointer after just six seconds had expired. From there Amherst never trailed, escaping with a 96-92 victory. "To be able to fight our way back into that game ... [is] a huge confidence boost for the entire team," said center Kevin Hopkins '08.
The following day, the Jeffs went to Lewiston, Me., to face a Bates College team ranked 12th in the nation. The Jeffs seemed vulnerable for the upset after the exhausting game the night before. Amherst came out strong, however, scoring the game's first five points and never trailing. McLaughlin led the balanced effort for the Jeffs with 19 points, and four other players scored in double figures. The final score was 79-64, giving Amherst a comfortable victory over the team that always figured to be its toughest NESCAC competition.
After an easy win against Elms College, the Jeffs got another scare from NESCAC foe Middlebury College. Although the Jeffs led nearly the entire game, they could never quite shake the Panthers. The lead was just 72-71 with five minutes remaining in the game, when Wheeler scored five consecutive points to put Middlebury away. The final score was 79-73, with Wheeler finishing with 20 points and Hopkins adding a career-high 21. Olson also had 13 points and eight assists.
Middlebury was the last scare Amherst faced during Interterm, as the Jeffs proceeded to roll through their next four opponents, including another victory over Williams.
The remainder of the teams' games will come against NESCAC opponents. Should they win at least two of the three, they will clinch the top seed for the NESCAC Tournament in February.
NESCAC Notes
The Jeffs currently have a two-game lead on second-place Trinity in the NESCAC standings. The rest of the field is bunched together; two teams stand at 3-2, three teams at 2-3, and two more at 2-4.