Hamilton, the tournament’s top seed, knocked off the fourth-seeded Red Hawks 75-63 behind a 53 percent shooting performance at Scott Field House in Clinton, N.Y., effectively ending RPI’s season. Hamilton would shoot 62 percent the next day in a 107-72 rout of Union, clinching the league’s NCAA Tournament automatic bid.

“We played very well,” Rensselaer Head Coach Mike Griffin said of his team’s performance Monday. “They are a really good team. You have to give them credit, they know how to win.”

The Continentals would need to muster all of their talent to hold off the surging Red Hawks squad. RPI’s seven seniors, who did not want to end their careers 0-7 at Hamilton, were determined to reverse the curse of Clinton. But an opening three-pointer from the Hamilton center was a sign of things to come.

“When he started a game with a three, I was worried,” Griffin admitted, referring to Tsakane Ngobeni’s three-ball, which was also Hamilton’s first basket. “He normally doesn’t hit those, so when he does it’s a bad sign.”

Ngobeni, who was named Liberty League Forward of the Week, hit another shot from deep and went a collective 12-15 from the field, scoring 27 points and grabbing nine rebounds to lead the Continentals. Nick Jones shot 50 percent (6-12) for 16 points to help pace Hamilton.

RPI actually did a solid job containing the Hamilton shooters, mixing in a combination of man-to-man, a 1-3-1 half-court trap, and their trademark “Superman” or 3-2 zone in an effort to keep Hamilton off balance. It worked, partially. The Continentals, normally deadly from long range, were only 8-21 from deep. The Red Hawks were 8-20. However, inside the arc the Hamilton shooters managed to find their stroke.

“They hit a lot of shots,” Griffin said. “Not so many three’s, but the 16 to 18 footers really hurt us.”

Despite all the hype accredited to the Hamilton offense, it was their press defense and depth that Griffin concedes finally did his team in. The Red Hawks committed 20 turnovers, which was the most RPI committed in any conference game. One turnover led to a breakout dunk for the Continentals late, and left Griffin feeling the game slip away.

“They are a defensive-based team,” Griffin said. “We turned the ball over, but that’s what they do to people. They force you to make mistakes.”

The closing minutes of the game were emotional as Griffin pulled each of his seniors one at a time. Senior forward Tom Schneider did all he could to keep his team’s season and his career alive. The Liberty League Player of the Year went 8-18 from the field and hit six three-pointers en route to yet another double-double, 24 points and 11 boards.

“He played like the Player of the Year,” Griffin said, choking up a little. “If it has to be your last game, that’s the type you would like to go out on.”

Seniors Neal Wesson and Joe Johnson each scored 10, and where the only other Red Hawks in double figures. Their classmates Paul Halas, Matt Zepernick, Russell Herman, and Dave Easley struggled in their final games. Nevertheless Griffin was admittedly emotional after the game.

“This was a special, special group,” Griffin said. “We had 20-win teams here [at RPI], but what they accomplished this year was impressive.”

RPI, despite limping off to a 2-8 start prior to the start of conference play, rebounded when Liberty League play began on January 14. The Red Hawks went 9-5 to finish fourth in the competitive conference.

Ironically, the same location that witnessed the Red Hawks’ revitalization also saw its end. RPI’s fortunes began to reverse when they went to Hamilton on January 14. They lost the game, but began the long road to recovery. After that loss, Rensselaer defeated Hobart, Vassar, and Clarkson, enjoying its first winning streak of the season.

“It’s one thing to talk about turning things around in league play, and it’s quite another to do it,” Griffin said. “These guys refused to let their careers end on a sour note. They had that sense of urgency. They did whatever was necessary to correct the mistakes of the preseason. It was rewarding to reach this point.”

Griffin now faces the difficult task of replacing his largest class in recent years. Griffin, along with his coach staff, already has plans to hit the recruiting trail, but this year he will not need to worry about recruiting for a particular position with half his current team graduating.

“We’re going to go out there and look for the best players,” Griffin said. “Once we get them here, then we’ll figure out how to utilize them.”