CHICAGO - Pomona-Pitzer's three-pointer in the final seconds of the game secured a 64-63 win over the University of Chicago men's basketball team in the 2021 Midway Classic championship on Sunday afternoon.

The Maroons and the Sagehens both own 3-1 records on the season.

Senior Brandon Beckman led the Maroons with 19 points to go with five rebounds, three assists and three steals. First-year Thomas Kurowski posted a career-high 14 points, four rebounds and three assists. Junior Bryce Hopkins had eight points, five rebounds and four assists. Senior forward Zach Munson also put up eight points.

The Sagehens led 19-8 after 11 minutes and their superior height and size proved to be a problem on the boards. The visitors were +10 in rebounding in the first half, including a 9-2 advantage on the offensive boards.

Munson submitted back-to-back three-pointers to get the Maroons back on track at 21-14. Beckman then took over to score eight of his team's next 10 points, and UChicago drew close at 26-24. The score stood at 29-26 in favor of Pomona-Pitzer at the break.

The second half was back and forth the whole way. UChicago grew more comfortable against Pomona-Pitzer's 2-3 zone defense as the game wore on and kept pace with the Sagehens. Eventually a 9-1 run by the home side gave them the lead 62-58 with just under two minutes remaining. The sequence featured a four-point play by Kurowski, who knocked down a catch-and-shoot three in the corner while absorbing a foul.

UChicago clung to a 63-61 lead in the final moments. But Pomona-Pitzer shot a deep three-pointer that swirled around the rim and fell through with 5.6 seconds remaining. The last-second jumper by the Maroons found iron as the Sagehens seized the one-point victory.

Offense was at a premium, as the two sides combined to shoot 36.8 percent from the field on the day. UChicago made 12 of 38 from three-point range (31.6 percent) and 9 of 13 on free throws (69.2 percent). Pomona-Pitzer held a sizable 49-37 lead in rebounds, while the Maroons blocked six shots.

NEXT GAME:

• Tuesday, Nov. 23 @ 8:00 PM - Wheaton College at UChicago