Two Centennial Conference teams are headed to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the third time in conference history as 11th-ranked Johns Hopkins and seventh-ranked Swarthmore posted second round victories on Saturday evening.
The other two instances in which two CC teams advanced to the Sweet 16 occurred in 2015 and 2018. Dickinson and Hopkins both made it to the Sweet 16 in 2015, while Swarthmore and Franklin & Marshall accomplished the feat in 2018.
In Baltimore, Md., Johns Hopkins used a 10-1 run early in the second half to turn a 35-35 tie into a 45-36 lead with just over 16 minutes remaining and the Blue Jays never allowed visiting Hamilton to make it a one-possession game again as the Blue Jays knocked off the Continentals, 81-71, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Goldfarb Gymnasium. Carson James paced the Blue Jays with a career-high 26 points as he was 10-of-17 from the floor, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, and added four rebounds and three assists.
With the win, the Blue Jays advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015 and the third time in program history. In addition, Johns Hopkins tied the program record for single-season victories as the Jays are now 25-4 on the year. Hamilton finishes its season at 20-9.
In Swarthmore, Pa., Swarthmore defeated St. John Fisher 101-78 to advance to the Sweet 16 for the third time in the last four seasons. Offensively, the Garnet saw monster games from Cal Hanson and Vinny DeAngelo, with Hanson notching a career high mark of 23 points and an assist while DeAngelo tallied 22 points and a personal best nine assists. Both shooters were lethal from beyond the arc, as Hanson shot 5-7 and DeAngelo splashed 4-8 from three.
In next weekend's Sweet 16, JHU (25-4) will meet Wisconsin-Whitewater (23-7) at Randolph-Macon in Ashland, Va. Top-ranked and defending national champion Randolph-Macon (29-1) will face sixth-ranked Oswego State (27-2) in the other matchup in Ashland.
Swarthmore (26-3) was awarded as the host of the sectional finals and will take on fifth-ranked Keene State (28-1). Stockton (24-5) matches up against Nichols (25-5) in the other showdown at Tarble Pavilion.