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Ruths’ Bears capture Division III title

Troy Ruths guided Washington (Mo.) University to the Division III title. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press The Spokesman-Review
Troy Ruths guided Washington (Mo.) University to the Division III title. Associated Press (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

Troy Ruths scored 33 points and Washington of Missouri claimed its first NCAA Division III title Saturday with a 90-68 victory over defending champion Amherst at Salem, Va.

Ruths, a 6-foot-6 senior, was 9 of 13 from the field and added 15 free throws, and also had eight rebounds. Aaron Thompson added 19 points for the Bears (25-6) and Tyler Nading had 13.

Fletcher Walters scored 17 points to lead Amherst (27-4). Andrew Olson added 16, and Brian Baskauskas and Brandon Jones each had 12.

The Bears led all the way, with Ruths scoring 17 points in the first half to help build a 45-32 halftime lead.

Washington shot 60 percent from the floor in the game, 70 percent in the second half. The Lord Jeffs shot 47 percent for the game and made only 5 of 20 shots from beyond the arc.

NIT

Ricky Harris scored 20 points and Massachusetts went on a 19-5 run to finish the game for a 68-63 win over Akron in the second round of the National Invitational Tournament at Amherst, Mass.

The Minutemen (23-10) travel to Syracuse on Tuesday for a quarterfinal matchup.

Jeremiah Wood led Akron (24-11) with 25, the most points scored by any Zips player this season.

Akron led 58-49 with 8:36 remaining. Chris Lowe, who scored 17 points, started the comeback with a jumper in the lane. UMass pulled within 58-55 with 4:48 left, but Akron’s Cedrick Middleton, who had 14, slowed the momentum with two free throws to make it 60-55.