[MoonlightGraham]

March 15, 2024
NCAA Midwest Region, First Round
(3) #6 Lafayette 93, (14) Pepperdine 86

Lafayette 93, Pepperdine 86

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Pepperdine  (21-11, 9-5):
Player            Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Jake Lizarraga    C    39   0-7   0-0   0   5   3  0   0
Evaristo Prieto   PF   36  6-10   3-6   6   9   3  2  17
Frederick Lawyer  SF   33  9-13   4-4   3   6   2  4  28
Thomas Clemmons   SG   41 10-18   4-7   1   3   7  4  30
Noble Abrego      PG   40   3-7   0-1   1   9   3  5   8
Craig Halpern     PG   14   0-1   0-2   1   1   1  4   0
James Crawford    PF   15   0-6   0-0   1   3   1  1   0
Arthur O'Meara    SF    7   1-2   0-0   0   0   1  1   3
Damon Bonner      C     1   0-0   0-0   0   0   0  0   0
Shelton Roberts   SF    1   0-0   0-0   0   0   0  0   0

Turnovers: 14 (J.Lizarraga 1, E.Prieto 4, F.Lawyer 5, 
 T.Clemmons 2, N.Abrego 1, C.Halpern 1)
Blocked Shots: 4 (J.Lizarraga 3, T.Clemmons 1)
Steals: 7 (J.Lizarraga 1, F.Lawyer 2, N.Abrego 2, 
 C.Halpern 1, J.Crawford 1)
3P FGs: 17-28 (E.Prieto 2-2, F.Lawyer 6-9, T.Clemmons 
 6-8, N.Abrego 2-6, J.Crawford 0-2, A.O'Meara 1-1)

Lafayette  (31-3, 12-2):
Player            Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts
Kurt Ritchie      C    41   3-5   0-0   1  12   1  1   6
Jeffrey Hampton   PF   32  9-11   2-2   3   6   1  2  20
Byron Shores      SF   19  3-10   4-5   0   2   3  4  10
Kenton Lashley    SG   41  5-11   0-0   0   2   7  2  14
Kamari Stone      PG   32   1-2   7-9   1   3   4  2  10
Micah Rodriguez   SF   26  8-12   2-4   0   4   3  2  20
Charles Allen     SF   14   4-8   3-5   6   6   2  2  13
Carl McGriff      PF   14   0-2   0-0   0   1   0  2   0
Carter Todd       PF    2   0-0   0-0   0   0   0  0   0
Carlton McFadden  SF    2   0-0   0-0   0   1   0  0   0
John Joy          C     1   0-1   0-0   0   0   0  0   0

Turnovers: 11 (K.Ritchie 2, B.Shores 4, K.Lashley 1, 
 M.Rodriguez 1, C.Allen 1, C.McGriff 2)
Blocked Shots: 7 (K.Ritchie 7)
Steals: 7 (K.Ritchie 3, K.Lashley 2, K.Stone 1, C.Allen 
 1)
3P FGs: 9-20 (J.Hampton 0-1, B.Shores 0-2, K.Lashley 
 4-9, K.Stone 1-1, M.Rodriguez 2-3, C.Allen 2-4)

Player of Game: PF Jeffrey Hampton (LFYTE)

The outcome might be what the seeding committee expected, but the path to that outcome could not have been scripted.

• Here are a few of the quirky, cool, and noteworthy things that happen:
• We trail 47-35 at halftime, come back, and tie the score with 2:08 remaining.
• Byron Shores scores with nine seconds left to put us ahead 72-70...and Thomas Clemmons answers with a basket to send the game to overtime.
• We never trail during the five-minute extra period.
• Two Pepperdine players, Frederick Lawyer and Thomas Clemmons, post the highest-scoring games of their career in the same game...in a losing effort.
• Byron Shores and Kenton Lashley score only 24 points between them...and we win anyway.
• Kurt Ritchie scores 6 points, just over his per-game average...with 12 rebounds, 3 steals, and 7 blocks.
• Jeffrey Hampton is the Player of the Game, with a career-high 20 points of his own.

I think this game deserves a post of its very own. Don't you?
Record: 31-3.