Philips Gymnasium was packed last Saturday, Feb. 18, for the Yeomen basketball team’s last game of the season against Wabash College. The celebration of Senior Day and First Year Appreciation Day added to the enthusiastic crowds.

“The atmosphere was great. I don’t think I’ve ever heard our fans be that loud before and just to have that many come out and show their support was awesome,” said senior Jacob Goldstein.

Unfortunately, that electric backdrop ended up helping propel the visiting Little Giants, fresh off an overtime 81–82 loss to conference foe Ohio Wesleyan University and eager to redeem themselves against the NCAC cellar-dwelling Yeomen, to a win. The final score, 32–69, was a lopsided testament to an encouraging season that could have been more.

The game had hopeful beginnings. The Yeomen kept it close early, thanks to the all-senior starting lineup of Goldstein, Josh Merritt, Ryan Glover, Mazi Farris and Hal Sundt, all competing in the final games of their careers. In fact, until the 10:02 mark in the first half the Yeomen were in a dead heat with the Giants, tied at 10–10.

The Giants then dropped the hammer, scoring 25 straight points against the hapless but ever-competitive Yeomen. The streak was only stopped by a pair of free throws by Merritt three seconds before halftime. The points, which gave the Yeomen a little much-needed momentum heading into the break, were two of Merritt’s team-leading 16 on the game.

Looking for a turnaround, junior Andrew Fox, who had 12 points, inched the Yeomen closer at the start of the second session by hitting a deep three-ball and cutting the deficit to 20 points. But the Little Giants responded deftly, going on a 14–1 run to turn the match into a rout.

The Yeomen were out-rebounded 39–23 in the end by the bigger Giants, who proved to be not as ‘little’ as their mascot might suggest. That size, coupled with an uncharacteristically unforgiving hoop, instigated a terrible shooting night for the Yeomen in which they hit just nine of the 44 shots they hoisted.

It was a tough way to finish for the Yeomen (7–18 overall, 2–14 NCAC), who won five more games this season than they did a year ago. The team bids farewell to a core group of six seniors, including Merritt, who finishes his career as Oberlin’s 17th all-time leading scorer with 1,079 points.