Two wins were all the Rensselaer men’s basketball team needed to guarantee a trip to the Liberty League playoff. They came up a win short, but their playoff hopes were saved thanks to some divine intervention.
The Red Hawks (11-13, 9-5 Liberty League) crushed Skidmore Friday night 73-51 at Robison Gym, but suffered their second loss to rival Union this season, 78-71, on Saturday, RPI’s senior night. The defeat left Rensselaer praying to the Saints for their playoff lives, the St. Lawrence Saints, specifically.
After the Union game, RPI coaches, players, and fans crowded around Rensselaer Sports Information Director Kevin Beattie, who delivered a play-by-play of the final minutes of the Saints’ battle with Hobart. A Statesmen victory would have dropped RPI to fifth place in the league and out of the conference playoffs.
Fortunately for the Red Hawks, their prayers were answered. St. Lawrence defeated Hobart 72-69.
“St. Lawrence came through for us,” Rensselaer Head Coach Mike Griffin said. “But we didn’t back into [the playoffs]. Two years ago we had the same record and were tied for first.”
This year, instead of being tied for first, they will have to play the conference’s best team; a club that lost only two league games, went 20-4 this season, and has never lost to any of the current Red Hawks at home.
Nevertheless, Griffin is looking forward to playing the Hamilton Continentals Friday at 8 pm. St. Lawrence will play Union in the other league semifinal at 6 pm in Clinton, N.Y., directly preceding the RPI-Hamilton match up.
“They’re so deep it helps to get them early,” Griffin said. “It has made a huge difference this year. Clearly their depth and stamina has helped them down the stretch.”
The Continentals’ only two losses in league play this year came on a Tuesday versus Hobart and Friday against St. Lawrence, when both teams had equal days of rest. RPI played with Hamilton for 30 minutes when the teams faced off on February 11, but the last 10 minutes belonged to the well-rested Continentals.
“They wear you down,” Griffin said of Hamilton. “They are a good offensive team, but a great defensive and rebounding team.”
The Hamilton starters average about 25 minutes-a-game compared to 30-plus for the Red Hawk stars. Tom Schneider had played all 40 minutes the night before, and it showed as the senior forward was limited to 14 points and 11 rebounds in the game.
For RPI to have a chance against the Continentals, they will have to find ways to free up Schneider, who has been limited as teams focus their defense on him. Rensselaer will screen less for Schneider and try to get their big man in more isolation sets in an effort to create space.
“Hamilton switches screens really well,” Griffin said. “They really jump out on Tom off screens and double down on him in the post.”
Schneider might get more room down low if senior guards Neal Wesson and Paul Halas can shoot the way they did Saturday against Union. Wesson poured in 22 points on nine-for-13 shooting while Halas delivered 18 points, hitting six of nine three-point attempts.
Rensselaer is planning on playing mostly full-court and half-court man-to-man on defense with some 1-3-1 zone mixed to hopefully limit Hamilton’s shooters.
While Griffin can layout the game plan, he admitted he cannot help convince his players they can beat Hamilton in Scott Field House. This year’s senior class is 0-6 in the last four years against the Continentals in Clinton, N.Y.
The motivation to win will be there as Friday could be the final game for RPI’s seven seniors: Schneider, Halas, Wesson, Joe Johnson, David Easley, Russell Herman, and Matt Zepernick. The combination of experience and internal drive could provide the ingredients for an upset.
“There are teams every year that come along and surprise people,” Griffin said. “It has to be someone, and it might as well be us.”
