Lowman sets Neumann mark, but Knights ousted

Anytime you pit two high-powered teams like Nichols College and Neumann together you can expect a high-scoring affair.

The Knights and Bison did not disappoint, but it was not the result Neumann wanted.

DeAnte Bruton and Marcos Echevarria combined for 46 points as the Bison upset the 11thranked Knights, 96-93, in the first round of the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament Friday night at the Mirenda Center.

Bruton score 28 points and Echevarria added 18, and Nichols hit four straight free throws to break an 88-88 deadlock to set up a secondround meeting with Endicott, which upset No. 16 Salisbury, 71-68, in the opener of the doubleheader at the Mirenda Center. Tip-off for the second-round contest is 7 p.m. Saturday.

“Obviously, you give credit to Nichols for coming in and playing well,” Neumann coach Jim Rullo said. “You knew coming in that the kids (Bruton and Echevarria) were very good players. We thought for the most part we did a good job with Marcos. They played well, made some tough shots.”

Senior Darien Barnes (Penn Wood) paced five Neumann players in double figures with 22 points and 15 rebounds despite being on the bench for the last eight minutes of the first half with three fouls. DeShawn Lowman scored 15 points to become the leading scorer in school history, male or female, with 1,1817 points. Tyaire Hudson (13 points) and Tony Parker (11) also reached double figures for the Knights (25-3).

“Tough that we lost,” Lowman said, “but I think we will be one of the greatest teams Neumann has ever had. We accomplished a lot here.”

In other Division III action: LYCOMING 86, CABRINI 70 >> Everything was going the Cavaliers’ way until the final eight minutes.

The 15th-ranked Warriors went on a 29-7 run over that stretch to erase a 63-57 deficit and bring Cabrini’s season to a close. Cabrini (198) shot 2-for-12 from the field and committed seven turnovers in the final eight minutes. Lycoming (24-4) shot 9-for-14 and coughed it up just three times in the same span.

Deryl Bagwell paced Cabrini with 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals. Tyheim Monroe had another double-double for the Cavs with 14 points and 17 rebounds before fouling out. Anthony Wright-Downing also scored 14 points for Cabrini.

David Johnson paced five Lycoming players in double figures with 17 points. The Warriors take on the winner of the game between No. 6 Middleury and Farmingdale State in Saturday’s second round.