The Ithaca College men’s basketball team cruised past the St. Lawrence University Saints in the Liberty League Championship Tournament Semifinals on Feb. 28. The Bombers’ suffocating defense and ability to get to the free-throw line propelled them to a 62-42 victory.
The Bombers are chasing their second Liberty League title, setting up a Championship showdown against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on March 2. Their last championship came in 2020 with an overtime win over RPI, and now, they’ll clash with the Engineers once again with the trophy on the line.
It was a night to remember for the Bombers’ veteran backcourt because senior guards Logan Wendell and Aidan Holmes delivered a dominant performance, combining for 39 of the team’s 62 points. Wendell poured in 22 points, knocking down four 3-pointers, while Holmes added 17 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Cole Wissink and sophomore guard Jaylon O’Neal brought the intensity on defense with three blocks each.
Intensity and defense seemed to be the theme throughout the game, as the Bombers’ faithful filled up the stands, bringing the energy for all 40 minutes. The game opened at a frantic pace, with both teams pushing the tempo but struggling to maintain control. Three minutes into the game, Wendell knocked down his first 3-pointer, giving the Bombers a lead they would never surrender.
The offense was rolling early, with multiple players getting touches. Sophomore guard Jose Padilla swung the ball to Wissink, who found sophomore guard Evan Cabral at the top of the key. Cabral had the crowd on its feet with a slick no-look dime to sophomore forward Alex Penders, who capped off the highlight-reel sequence with a smooth layup, igniting the student section standing just feet from the basket. The Bombers led 14-5 with 11:47 to go in the first half.
Despite all the rain and snow on South Hill, there was a drought in the Ben Light Gymnasium for the Saints. For nearly five minutes, St. Lawrence was unable to record a basket, allowing the Bombers to extend their lead to nine. Wendell then erupted for eight straight points, hitting back-to-back threes and finishing with an easy layup. In the final seconds of the first half, Saints senior guard Aidan Macaulay drained a pull-up jumper to cut the deficit to ten. The Bombers entered halftime with a 27-17 lead, holding St. Lawrence to 19% shooting and forcing seven turnovers.
The second half mirrored the first, with Wendell scoring at will, the team playing outstanding defense and head coach Waleed Farid pushing all the right buttons with his game plan and substitutions. With 13:26 to go, Wissink found Holmes coming off a screen, who drilled a three while getting fouled in the act. He went on to convert the four-point play and gave the Bombers a 17-point lead. At that moment, the hundreds of students in attendance could anticipate a return to the Liberty League Championship.
With under six minutes remaining, St. Lawrence briefly closed the gap. Senior guard Gavin Macaulay, twin brother of Aidan Macaulay, drained a 3-pointer to trim the Bombers’ lead to eight. Within seconds, O’Neal went coast-to-coast, pushing the Bombers’ lead back to ten. From there, the game was firmly in their control. As the Saints struggled to mount a final run, resorting to late-game fouls with under two minutes remaining. The Bombers sealed the game at the line, sinking all 12 of their free throws and extending their lead to 20.
Wissink emphasized the importance of keeping the team’s defensive intensity high.
“We’re a really good defensive team when we’re connected like we were tonight, and that defense will carry us,” Wissink said.
