Hoops heroism—Laker junior guard Brian Sortino has led the way with big last-minute shots as the Oswego men’s basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Laker Hall will host two regional games on Friday and the regional final on Saturday.
3/11/16 UPDATE: Laker men’s basketball lost a heartbreaker 66-65 to the College of Wooster on Friday night in front of a packed, passionate crowd in Max Ziel Gymnasium.
After two thrilling NCAA Division III Tournament wins to reach the program’s first-ever Sweet 16, Laker men’s basketball will host tournament action this weekend in Laker Hall.
Oswego hosts the College of Wooster at 7:30 p.m. Friday, with the winner playing in the national quarterfinals against the victor of the Christopher Newport-Keene State game at 5:30 p.m., with both games in Laker Hall’s Max Ziel Gymnasium on Friday. The regional finals—for a slot in the DIII Final Four—will tip at 7 p.m. Saturday in the same location.
Tickets are available online at https://tickets.oswego.edu or by calling the box office at (315) 312-3073. Tickets also will be available on the day of the games, as the Laker Hall box office will open one hour prior to tip-off on Friday (4:30 p.m.) and 90 minutes before Saturday’s tip (5:30 p.m.). Tickets cost $10 for general admission; $5 for senior citizens, all students and children. Children under age 2 are admitted free.
The Lakers (22-8) had to work overtime last Friday night in a back-and-forth 88-78 win against Delaware Valley in first-round action at Marietta College in Ohio. Junior guard Brian Sortino’s 39 points led the Lakers, with a three-point play with 18 seconds remaining giving the team a brief 68-66 lead before the Aggies tied it with two last-second free throws. But Oswego opened the overtime session on an 11-3 run and never looked back.
Saturday’s game saw the Lakers lead most of the way before a late Gwynedd Mercy surge gave the Griffins a 77-76 lead in the final minute. Sortino played hero again, hitting the game-winning jumper with 7 seconds remaining for the 78-77 win and Sweet 16 berth. Four Oswego players reached double figures in scoring, with Keith Tyson’s 19 points leading the way.