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Swarm hang on to beat Groove 115-114

By Craig Fata, 03/19/16, 7:15PM CDT

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Ruffin now 4-3 as head coach

 

March 19, 2016

CHICAGO – In a game which never saw a double-digit lead by either team, the Champaign Swarm gutted out a 115-114 nail-biter over the Windy City Groove at Kroc Center Saturday, giving the Swarm a 5-10 overall record and a 4-3 mark since Daniel Ruffin took over as head coach. The loss dropped the Groove to 8-5, as the loss was their fourth in a row.

Champaign led 28-23 after a tight first quarter, and, despite giving up the lead 42-41 briefly in the second, again led by five 51-46 heading into halftime.

The Swarm pushed the lead to six early in the third, but C.J. Hampton and Dion Cooksey tied the game on three separate occasions in the quarter, the last time at 71 with 3:05 to play. However, the Swarm closed out the third up six 83-77.

Champaign continued to lead, but each time the Swarm pushed the lead near double digits, the Groove answered, pulling to within one with 7:14 to play on a Cooksey free throw. The Swarm again swelled the lead to nine with 5:45 remaining, however, Windy City would not go away.

With :14.1 to play, it looked as if Champaign was finally able going to breathe easy after Robert Broughton gave his team a five-point lead at 113-108. But Dion Cooksey struck with a three-point play with 9.7 seconds left to get to within two, and following a pair of Broughton free throws with :08.8 to play, Cooksey drained a 28-footer with 4.3 seconds remaining to make the score 115-114 Swarm.

With 3.8 seconds on the clock, Aaron Weaver missed two free throws, but the Swarm were able to grab the loose ball after the rebound and run out the clock for the win.

James McClain led the Swarm with 24 points and six assists, while Robert Broughton added 21 and Jonathan Mills booked 20. Jordan Walker scored 18, Aaron Weaver had 12, and Oliver McGlade notched 10 points and six assists for Champaign.

Dion Cooksey led the Groove with 27 points and six assists. Mike McCall had 25, and Deveon Jenkins tallied 21 for the Groove.