FREDERICK, Md. - The Vassar College Men's Basketball team's 2025-26 season came to a close in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night as the Brewers fell 84-71 to #16 Hood at Woodboro Bank Arena.
Vassar's season finishes at 20-9 overall, marking the first time the Brewers have reached the 20-win plateau. Hood's record improves to 25-3 on the season and the Blazers advance to tomorrow's Second Round game against #9 Redlands at 5:35 p.m.
First Half
- Vassar took an early 6-3 lead following four points from junior Kreekor Karageuzian and a lay-in from sophomore Parker Neuenhaus.
- After a Kullen Robinson cut the deficit to one, first year Kas Mirza drilled back-to-back triples to push the Brewers ahead 12-5 at the 14:05 mark.
- The Brewers expanded their lead to 17-9 behind a triple from junior Shea Fitzgerald and a floater from Karageuzian before Hood countered with a 8-2 run as Karron Mallory connected on consecutive threes to reduce the lead to 19-17.
- Mirza added another three-pointer and a midrange jumper from Fitzgerald expanded the lead to 24-17 with 8:09 remaining.
- Five straight points from Mallory brought the Blazers to within 24-22 until makes from junior Sebastian Medina and senior Nathan Denham gave Vassar a 28-22 lead at the 5:50 mark.
- Hood took its first lead of the game at 29-28 on a turnaround jumper from Robinson as the Blazers went on a 9-0 to pull ahead by three on two free throws from Garrett Cox at the 2:09 mark.
- Vassar scored the next four points on consecutive layups from Mirza and Denham to regain a one-point lead at 32-31 with 1:14 to go in the first half.
- Two Yarbrough free throws and a Mallory three-pointer before the halftime horn put Hood on top 36-32 at the intermission.
- Vassar finished the opening 20 minutes shooting 36.1-percent from the field and 4-for-13 from three-point distance.
- Hood concluded the first half shooting 37.5-percent overall and connected on 5-for-18 from three.
Second Half
- The Blazers raced out to a 10-0 run to begin the second half behind five points from Jude Huseby, a three from Mallory and a Robinson lay-in to take a 46-32 lead with 18:17 left in regulation.
- Yarbrough's layup increased the lead to 50-34 with 17:19 remaining before two threes from Fitzgerald and a Neuenhaus layup brought the Brewers within 52-42 at the 14:57 mark.
- Hood moved back ahead by 14 on a Huseby bucket at the 12:20 mark until Vassar battled back to get within 10 on a Mirza triple with 10:55 remaining.
- Vassar got back within single digits at 63-57 on five straight tallies from Fitzgerald with 9:37 left in regulation.
- The Blazers went on a 12-0 run over the next four minutes as Huseby's lay-in with 5:50 to go gave Hood a 75-57 lead.
- Hood took its largest lead of the game on a Robinson layup with 1:25 to go in regulation at 82-63.
- Vassar closed the second half shooting 41.9-percent overall and connected on 7-for-14 from the three-point line.
- Hood shot a blistering 60.6-percent from the field but went just 2-for-10 from beyond the three-point line.
For The Brewers
- Fitzgerald finished with 21 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals while Mirza poured in 21 points off the bench.
- Denham tallied 10 points, nine rebounds and two steals along with Karageuzian posting six points and three boards.
- Neuenhaus chipped in four points, four boards and three assists while Medina recorded four points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
For The Blazers
- Mallory registered a game-high 25 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals while Robinson added 20 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals.
- Yarbrough recorded a double-double with 19 points and 12 assists along with Huseby tallying 11 points and four rebounds.
- Cox finished with seven points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Game Statistics
- Vassar finished the game shooting 38.8-percent from the field, including 11-for-27 from three, and went 8-for-10 from the free throw line.
- Hood closed the contest shooting 49.2-percent overall while going 7-for-28 from three and 13-for-16 from the free throw line.
- The Blazers outscored the Brewers 46-26 in the paint, 16-13 in points off turnovers and 15-8 in second chance points.