BACK-TO-BACK – Bears Are NCAA National Champions

WU-RICHARD STOCKTON BOX | PHOTO

Salem, Va., March 21, 2009 – Senior Tyler Nading scored a game-high 20 points and senior Sean Wallis added 16 points and 10 assists as the Washington University in St. Louis men's basketball team repeated as NCAA Division III National Champions with a 61-52 victory over No. 6 Richard Stockton College on Saturday at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va.

Washington University, which won its 13th-straight postseason game, is the fourth NCAA Division III team to repeat as National Champions joining North Park University (1978-80), University of Wisconsin-Platteville (1998-99) and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (2004-05).

"As you have found out all year long with this team, we find ways to win," said Washington University head coach Mark Edwards."It’s great to be back to the city of Salem, but even greater to walk out of here with the big trophy."

Wallis was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament after averaging 15.5 points and 7.5 assists per game at the Final Four. He was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Nading, junior Aaron Thompson, Michael Farrow of Richard Stockton, Clay Henson of Guilford and James McNally of Franklin and Marshall.

Nading was 9-of-11 from the field and 2-of-2 from the foul line as he finished his four-year career on the Danforth Campus third in career scoring with 1,552 points. Wallis, who was named second-team all-America by D3hoops.com following the game, finished his record-breaking season with 251 assists. He also broke J.J. Siepierski’s (1993-96) all-time WU record with 566.

"Richard Stockton’s aggressiveness made them susceptible to me leaking toward the basket. My teammates did a great job finding me tonight," said Nading. "This is the best way to go out as a senior. This year’s team had a completely new identity, and I am so happy for all of our teammates."

Both teams came out tense and combined for eight turnovers and managed just six field goals combined in the first eight minutes of play. Trailing 7-2, Wallis connected on back-to-back lay-ups to trim the Stockton lead to one (7-6) with 12:57 left.

Nading was the lone offensive threat for the Bears as two lay-ups and a put-back gave WU a 12-8 advantage. The Bears missed their first nine shots from three-point range, and scored its first 12 points from inside the paint.

Sophomore Caleb Knepper came of the bench for Washington U. and ended a streak without a field goal outside of the paint as he drained a three-pointer to make it 21-12 with 3:28 remaining. After a miss by Richard Stockton, Knepper then banked in a three-pointer to give the Bears a 24-12 lead.

After scoring 30 points on Friday in the national semifinals, Thompson was held to two points in the first half after missing his first six shots. He scored on a back-door lay-up on Wallis’ sixth assist of the game with 1:50 remaining, and then Wallis drained his first three-pointer of the game to give WU the 29-16 halftime lead.

Wallis had seven points and six assists to lead the Bears in the first half as WU shot 46.2 percent (12-26) from the field. The defense was the story in the as the Bears held Richard Stockton without a field goal for 9:54 in the first half where the Ospreys missed 12-straight shots. Richard Stockton shot 20 percent (6-30) in the first half, including 14.3 percent (2-14) from three-point range.

"It’s a dream come true," said Wallis. "To be able to go out there and play the way I did the whole tournament is something I am really proud of."

Wallis continued to shred the Richard Stockton defense in the second half as he found Nading streaking underneath the bucket for two lay-ups to extend the lead to 34-18. Another lay-up by Nading gave WU its largest lead of the game at 40-24 with 12:23 remaining when Richard Stockton found an offensive surge.

Back-to-back three’s by Santini Lancioni and Farrow got the advantage down to 10 (45-35) with 10:02 left, and then two free-throws by Kai Masaqui got the lead under double-figures at 47-39. The two seniors took over when it got tight, as Wallis scored on a lay-up and then Nading scored six-straight points to get the advantage to 55-41 with less than six minutes to play.

Junior Cameron Smith added eight points, eight rebounds and three steals for Washington U., while Knepper had eight points off the bench. Thompson was held to season-low four points, but capped off the season by earning first-team all-American by D3hoops.com. The Bears shot 48 percent (24-50) from the field in the win, and outrebounded Richard Stockton, 41-29.

Washington University won 20 of its last 21 games of the season to finish with a school-record 29-2 overall mark. The Bears posted a 10-1 record against teams ranked in the top-25, including six-straight ranked opponents en route to the Division III National Championship.

"When you have two seniors that go through four years and walk out with two national championship trophies, I think that speaks for itself," Edwards said. "At the end of four years they accomplished some things and basketball was a big part of it along with friendships. But getting themselves prepared to move on in life is the biggest part."

Lancioni had 19 points to lead Richard Stockton, which ended its record-breaking season with a 30-3 record. The Ospreys shot just 31.7 percent (19-60) from the field in the loss, including 6-of-28 from three-point range.