NEWPORT NEWS — A year after their string of reaching five consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 tournaments ended, Christopher Newport University’s men’s basketball team is back with a vengeance. On Saturday night, they secured a resounding 90-61 victory over Washington & Jefferson College at the Freeman Center, reigniting their tournament journey.
This victory propels the Captains, holding a 23-5 record, into the third round against Randolph-Macon, likely taking place in Ashland. While the Sweet 16 is a milestone, CNU aims to advance even further, especially after last season’s abrupt exit.
Senior Collin Hines, reflecting on the game, shared, “I thought about that,” acknowledging the emotional weight of what could be his final game at the Freeman Center. Hines contributed significantly with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, stating, “We had some fire lit under us. We know what happened last year, and we didn’t want that to happen again. It definitely motivated me.”
The match was a stark contrast to last year’s narrow loss to Roanoke College, with the Captains securing their largest second-round win margin since 2019. Toa Hollenbeck was pivotal, scoring seven of his 18 points in a crucial 86-second period in the second half. Ethan Ward added 13 points and seven rebounds, while Zyir Baskerville contributed seven rebounds. Tyson Henderson also played a key role with five assists, three steals, and a single turnover in 30 minutes.
Despite Washington & Jefferson’s persistent full-court press forcing 16 turnovers, CNU effectively countered with quick baskets, aided by Hines’ excellent ball-handling skills. CNU coach John Krikorian praised Hines, saying, “He’s one of the most elite passers and playmakers we’ve ever had. When he has the ball in his hands, you feel good about just about anything they can throw at us.”
The Captains took an early lead and maintained it throughout the game. Although their advantage was reduced to 29-28 midway through the first half, CNU closed the half with a 14-4 run and began the second half with a 17-3 surge. “We had made some careless fouls and turnovers in the stretch to allow them to get back in that game in the first half,” Krikorian noted. “I thought we were able to settle down and get back our basics and take care of the ball.”
Dominating the boards was a recurring theme for CNU, as they outrebounded the Presidents 53-29, with a 29-13 advantage in the second half. Emphasizing rebounding has been crucial in their tournament strategy, as Hollenbeck highlighted, “I think we’ve been crashing more than we have all season (and) we need to keep doing it.”
CNU’s offensive rebounding prowess resulted in 24 offensive boards, leading to 23 second-chance points. “It’s certainly helpful to have 24 more possessions,” Krikorian said. “But you can’t carry them with you. You’ve got to do it every night. And these guys have been taking that mindset and doing it every night.” With the tournament intensifying, Krikorian acknowledged, “As you go further in this tournament, it gets harder and harder and harder because every team that advances is likely a very, very tough rebounding team with size. Tonight was great, but we’ll have to get ready to do it again.”
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