Hornets clinch NAC birth

The Lyndon State College men's basketball team has earned a berth in the NAC postseason for the first time since it joined the conference in fall of 2008. 

The team currently sits in third place in the North Atlantic Conference with a record of 7-3 (8-13 overall).  After being dominated by first place Husson in their first meeting of the season, Lyndon got their chance to redeem themselves this past weekend.  Playing well at home, Lyndon welcomed the top seeded Eagles from Husson to Stannard Gymnasium. 

The win was a team effort, including 17 points from sophomore forward Jason Gray, as well as a strong performance from sophomore center O'Bee Byrd, freshman guard D.J. Santos, and freshman guard Phil Warrick with 12 points each.  Rebound help came from freshman guard Antonio Mena with 13 boards in the game.  The game's final point was scored with two tenths of a second remaining as Gray collected the rebound from a Santos layup, giving the Hornets the upset victory.

Tuesday's match against in-state rival Johnson was a different story.  Hoping to carry momentum from Saturday's upset, the men went on the road hoping to tally their fourth straight win.  The early parts of the game were back and fourth leaving the teams tied at halftime.  After Warrick sunk a three pointer to tie the game with just over 8 seconds remaining, Johnson rushed up the court and hit a buzzer beater, ending Lyndon's win streak at three.

"We didn't come out sharp," said head coach Joe Krupinski on Tuesday's loss.  "Johnson played hard and they handled pressure well."

The team looks forward to this weekend as they play their final road contests.  The team travels to Maine this weekend to play U-Maine Farmington and Thomas College.  This weekend should give us a clearer picture of how the tournament seeding will shake down. 

"Both teams are playing well," said Coach Krupinski, "it will be a good test."

Regardless of the outcome of their embarrassing loss to Johnson, the team's goals are very clear.  "We want to be playing our best at the end of the season," said Krupinski.  "We have been playing well at home.  We have been defending better lately.  Beating Husson shows us that we can beat any team in the conference."

This is clear as Lyndon delivered Husson its first in- Conference loss.  The team effort seems to be something that will help the team as it begins its journey through the playoffs.  With help from some experienced upperclassmen, as well as from players such as freshman Antonio Mena who was just named the NAC rookie of the week, the team's depth is something that will make them a force in the conference. 

Lyndon travels to Maine this weekend before returning to Stannard Gymnasium to complete the regular season with games vs. Green Mountain on Tuesday and Castleton on Saturday, Feb 19.   After that, the real test begins as they travel to playoffs for the first time ever in the NAC. 

Assuming they continue playing the way they have been, their trip to the postseason should be something to enjoy. The team awaits the result of the regular season with hopes of having a home game in the playoffs, and possibly a first round bye.  The first postseason game will almost certainly occur during our February break, which is unfortunate for students who wish to attend.