Muhlenberg College Athletics

Although he had started every game but one since the beginning his career, Austin Curry had no trouble giving up his starting spot to senior Ryan Lagomarsino on Senior Day for the Muhlenberg men’s basketball team.

Lagomarsino's three-pointer was his first of the season and the fourth of his career.

Lagomarsino didn’t, but plenty of his teammates hit shots as the Mules breezed to an 80-56 win against Ursinus.

With the win and Johns Hopkins’ one-point victory against Washington, Muhlenberg (16-9, 12-6) is the fourth seed for the Centennial Conference playoffs. The Mules will host fifth-seeded Gettysburg, a 75-50 loser to McDaniel, in a first-round game on Wednesday.

In addition to his 10 points, O'Hara had three assists (without a turnover) and two steals to take the award for "Best Performance by an O'Hara on Senior Day." Two years ago, older brother Kevin O'Hara recorded five points and three assists in a similarly lopsided win (82-53) against Ursinus.

Sophomore Malique Killing scored 21 of his game-high 25 points in the first half, nearly outscoring the Bears (10-15, 8-10), who would have earned a playoff berth with a win, by himself. Muhlenberg held Ursinus to 25-percent shooting in the first half and went into the break with a 32-22 lead.

“Even though they were playing for a playoff spot, the whole game we were bringing it to them,” said Curry. “Everybody felt good, and we played for the right reasons, for our seniors. We got the early and stuck with the momentum.”

The game was tied at 13 before the Mules held the Bears to one field goal over a six-minute span, opening up a 26-16 lead. Ursinus, which came in as the third-highest scoring team in the CC, went without a field goal for the first 4:30 of the second half, and by then Muhlenberg had a 20-point lead.

All that was left was for the seniors to have their moments. Lagomarsino, a shooting guard who has seen limited time during the last four years, hit a three-pointer with 4:12 left to extend the lead to 78-46, much to the delight of the big crowd. Matt O’Hara scored 10 points, highlighted by a drive to the basket for a layup after picking up a loose ball near the sideline. The third senior, Hunter Forsman, scored six points on two tipins and a lefty hook shot.

Junior Kevin Hargrove finished with 13 points and eight rebounds, and classmate Brandon Bovino put an exclamation point on the big win with a dunk late in the second half.

But the day belonged to the seniors, who with a career record of 60-44 over their four years are tied for the most by a class in more than a decade.

“They mean everything to us,” said Curry. “Each of them brings something different. I think we have all the talent we need to win a championship, and we also have great team chemistry. You couldn’t ask for three better guys to build chemistry.”
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