WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Thanks to leading the Lycoming College men’s basketball team into the New Year with an unblemished record for the first time since 1966, fourth-year head coach Guy Rancourt has earned DIII News/Schelde Coach of the Month honors, the magazine announced in its Jan. 4 issue.
The Warriors (12-0 overall) ran through a gauntlet of tough opponents during the holiday season, as they started the month by heading to Reading, Pa., for the second time in four days to take on Alvernia on Dec. 3. Thanks to a late rally led by senior Mike Bradley (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph’s Prep) and freshman Patrick Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood), the Warriors posted a 68-66 win over the 2011 NCAA Tournament team.
The Warriors followed that with a 71-50 win over Juniata, which is second in the Landmark Conference with a 9-3 record, on Dec. 6 before posting a 90-88 win over Freedom Conference-leading Wilkes on Dec. 10. Against the Colonels, the Warriors again completed a late comeback, overcoming an 80-77 deficit with less than three minutes to go thanks to back-to-back three-point plays from sophomore Kevin Anthony (Columbus, Ohio/Bridgton Academy) and Bradley.
After a seven-day break for finals, the Warriors headed to Mount Aloysius for a matchup with the Grinnell-styled offense. Led by a school-record 21 assists from junior Jerald Williams (Riverdale, Md./Bladensburg), Lycoming walked out with a 116-101 win, scoring the most points in a game since 1976.
The Warriors wrapped up the month after Christmas with a 65-58 win on Dec. 29 over perennial Alleghany Mountain Collegiate Conference power Penn State-Behrend, as they forced 26 turnovers to help them to 14 fastbreak points.
Rancourt, the 2010 D3hoops.com Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year, surpassed his total of 55 wins accumulated at John Jay College from 1999-03 with the win over Mount Aloysius, as he has compiled a 59-30 record since beginning his time on College Place in 2008.
The Warriors will look for their 13th straight win when they head to King’s for a 3 p.m. tip on Saturday, Jan. 7 in a game against the former Freedom Conference rivals.