Box Score
ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - The NCAA implemented new hand check rules this year to make it easier for referees to decipher the difference between charging and blocking fouls, and to cut down on hand- and forearm-checking, all in an effort to increase scoring.
Early in the season, there have been lots and lots of fouls called. Scoring is definitely up. And lately, it's been bad news for Bard.
On Wednesday night, Bard and Berkeley missed 15 free throws apiece. Problem was, Bard took 29 free throws and Berkeley took 51. If a pattern can be seen just five games into the season, here it is: The Raptors are giving up a lot more foul shots (180) than they are taking (104). The fact that they aren't shooting free throws well (64%) is just compounding the problem.
Berkeley beat Bard, 87-75.
The Raptors (2-3) were up 41-38 at halftime, but Berkeley (4-4) turned a 10-0 run into a 16-4 run with just six minutes gone in the second half. Bard didn't get closer than five the rest of the way.
Fouls - Berkeley was shaky at the line in the second half at 21-for-34 - were only part of the problem. The Knights pressed and made it a point to harrass, trap, double- and sometimes triple-team Bard senior
Lamar Powell, the team's leading scorer. Powell wasn't his usual self from the field (10-for-19), and he had an especially rough night from the foul line (7-for-20). He matched his career high with 29 points, including a couple of late threes, but came away visibly frustrated.
Berkeley had five players finish in double figures and scored 27 points off of 17 Bard turnovers. Sophomore guard Dukens Germain (Maplewood, NJ) led the Knights with 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Bard got 10 points apiece from
Zach Goodman and
Alex Fabean-Scotch, nine points and 10 rebounds from
Brandon Cunningham, and six points, 10 rebounds and three assists from
Pat Kelly.
Wednesday's game was the start of a four-games-in-nine-days stretch. The Raptors will host Lehman College on Friday night at 7, then play at Sarah Lawrence College on Sunday afternoon.
