PLEASE NOTE: Due to technical difficulties the video from the postgame press conference is of a lower than expected quality. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Newport News, Va. – The Wheaton men's basketball team defeated the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) 74-67 on Friday afternoon in the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Sectional Semifinal. Wheaton will face the winning team from Friday's other Sectional Semifinal between University of Mary Hardin Baylor and the host Captains of Christopher Newport University on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (EST).

The Thunder advance to the Sectional Final round of the tournament for the third time in program history, and the second time under head coach Mike Schauer. Wheaton is now 25-4 this year, to post the most wins in a single season since the 2008-09 Thunder squad was 26-4 overall. The 25 wins this year is the most in a single season for Wheaton under head coach Mike Schauer.

Four Thunder players tallied double digit point totals tonight. Andrew Williams came off the bench to lead Wheaton in scoring with 23 points. Williams was 15-for-15 at the free throw line tonight and grabbed seven rebounds. Nate Sock scored 15 points, with four rebounds and three blocked shots. Nick Schiavello (PICTURED LEFT) tallied 13 points with six rebounds. TJ Askew scored 12 points with six rebounds and three blocked shots. Tyson Cruickshank distributed 10 assists, with nine points.

The Thunder shot 40% (22-for-55) from the floor, including 31.8% (7-for-22) from three-point range. The Blue Jays shot a 37.7% (23-of-61) field goal percentage, including 21.4% (3-for-14) from three-point range. The Thunder shot a stellar 92% (23-for-25) at the free throw line, with an 85.7% (18-for-21) effort at the charity stripe for USJ. The Blue Jays out-rebounded the Thunder 41-33, including a 10-3 advantage on the offensive glass.

Delshawn Jackson, Jr. led Saint Joseph with 22 points and Jaecee Martin scored 11 points, with five assists and five rebounds. Alec Kinder scored nine points, with 12 rebounds off the bench for the Blue Jays.

The Thunder scored the first seven points tonight leading 7-0 through the first three minutes of the game. Wheaton continued to lead until the Blue Jays tied the game at 11-11 with 13:53 remaining in the first half. It was Saint Joseph's turn to gain and hold a lead as they built up a seven-point lead at 22-15 with 6:44 remaining before halftime. The Blue Jays held the lead for the remainder of the half as they led 29-27 at halftime. 

Williams scored a team-high eight points in the first half. Williams shot 3-for-5 from the field in the half. Sock scored seven points in the opening half. Kinder led the Blue Jays with six points.

USJ led 45-40 with 11:09 left in the second half when Sock made a huge three-pointer to trim the lead to 45-43 and it sparked a 19-4 Thunder run as Wheaton led 59-49 with 4:04 remaining in the game. Jackson made a three-pointer for the Blue Jays with 2:37 left that cut Wheaton's lead to five points at 62-57. However, a successful trip to the free throw line by Schiavello and two positive efforts at the charity stripe by Williams got the Thunder lead back to 11 points at 66-57 with 1:22 remaining. Wheaton closed out the game to earn the 74-67 victory.

Note Worthy: Cruickshank's 10 assists tonight moved him up three spots on the all-time assists list from fifth to second as he now has 419 career assists, passing Jon Nielson (411) for fourth place, Matt Nadelhoffer (413) for third place and Tim McCrary (415) for second place.