Grad student senior guard Jack Nolan celebrates with teammate Justin Hardy after hitting the game-winning shot in Wash. U.’s win over Millikin, Wednesday night at the WU Field House. (Photo courtesy: WashU Athletics)

Final	1	2	T
MILLIKIN (1-1, 0-0 CCIW)	25	26	51
WASHINTON UNIVERSITY (1-0, 0-0 UAA)	26	26	52

by DeMarcus Dixon
Staff Writer

The Washington University men’s basketball team began its 2021-22 season with a sensational start, as grad student senior Jack Nolan hit a step-back three-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Bears to a 52-51 win over visiting Millikin University, Wednesday night at the Wash. U. Field House.

Nolan’s game-winner was the culmination of a thrilling opening night ballgame that went back and forth all night, as both teams took turns grabbing the momentum and trading the lead. In fact, Wednesday’s contest featured 16 ties and 18 lead changes.

The final minute was especially exciting, with Millikin taking the lead twice and Wash. U., first answering by tying the game, then ending the night with Nolan heart-stopping three-pointer.

Millikin senior Demarcus Bond, Jr., hit two free throws with 42 seconds left to give the Big Blue a 49-47 lead. Nolan answered with a layup with 25 seconds left to tie it at 49.

Millikin’s Calvin Fisher hit a deep jumper with 6.6 seconds left that was originally ruled a three, to give the Big Blue the lead. But then after a discussion, the officials determined Fisher’s foot was on the line, so the basket was ruled a two-pointer.

That gave the Big Blue a 51-49 lead, as Wash. U. called timeout to set up the dramatic final play.

Nolan inbounded the ball to teammate Hayden Doyle, who gave it right back so Nolan could bring the ball up the floor. Millikin set its defense to prevent anything close or any play where the ball ended up inside.

But none of that mattered, as Nolan pulled up from just beyond the arc and banged that shot home to give the Bears the lead and send the entire building into a frenzy.

The victory marked the 12th straight year that Wash. U. (1-0) won its season opener. The Bears will be back in action on Tuesday, November 16, when they’ll play a road game against in-town rival Webster University. That game will tipoff at Webster’s Grant Gymnasium at 7 p.m.

MILLIKIN	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
STARTERS
05 – DeMarcus Bond jr. – f	32	4-10	0-2	2-2	1	1	2	3	0	0	3	2	10
50 – Cole Laurence – f	27	2-3	0-0	0-2	2	4	6	0	0	0	2	3	4
12 – Calvin Fisher – g	34	6-12	2-5	0-0	1	6	7	2	2	0	3	3	14
23 – Scott Gowan – g	3	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
31 – Jake Hampton – g	32	4-12	3-8	0-0	1	6	7	0	1	1	2	3	11
RESERVES
03 – J.T. Welch – g	13	1-4	1-3	2-2	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	3	5
04 – Jackson Neidenbach – g	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
10 – Michael Akinwumi – f	18	2-3	0-0	0-0	2	2	4	0	0	0	0	2	4
14 – Noah Livingston – g	30	1-6	1-1	0-0	0	7	7	1	2	0	5	1	3
22 – Drake Stevenson – f	9	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0
TM – TEAM					0	0	0				0	0
TOTALS		20-50	7-19	4-6	7	28	35	6	5	1	16	19	51
		40.0%	36.8%	66.7%

WASH. U.	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
STARTERS
00 – Kameron Mack – f	29	1-7	0-1	0-0	0	3	3	0	0	0	1	1	2
32 – Spencer Boehm – f	11	0-2	0-0	0-2	1	3	4	1	0	1	0	0	0
04 – Hayden Doyle – g	33	3-11	0-3	1-2	1	0	1	1	0	0	2	3	7
22 – Jack Nolan – g	37	7-19	2-6	6-6	0	3	3	2	6	1	3	1	22
42 – Charlie Jacob – g	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
RESERVES
02 – Matt Gonzalo – g	19	2-4	1-3	1-2	0	3	3	0	0	0	1	2	6
11 – David Windley – g	22	0-0	0-0	2-2	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	2
12 – Justin Hardy – f	27	2-5	1-2	2-3	2	5	7	1	1	0	0	1	7
14 – Tyler Carlson – g	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
23 – Jake Wolfe – c	7	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	1	0
33 – Kevin Davet – c	11	1-1	0-0	4-5	2	1	3	1	0	1	0	1	6
TM – TEAM					0	0	0				0	0
TOTALS		16-49	4-15	16-22	7	20	27	6	7	3	8	10	52
		32.7%	26.7%	72.7%