Bears are champions

SALEM, VA. -- Does it get any better than the past 72 hours for Washington University forward Troy Ruths?

Ruths saved his best for last, leading the Bears to their first NCAA men's basketball title Saturday. Ruths scored 33 points as Washington U. coasted past defending Division III champion Amherst College 90-68.

(Joe Angeles/WUSTL)

March 22, 2008 -- Salem, Virginia -- Final Four MVP, Jostens Div. III Player of the Year, and National Champion Troy Ruths has the trophy that the WUSTL Bears came to Salem to win.

On Friday, he scored 30 points in propelling the Bears to an 89-74 victory over Hope College in the semifinals.

Thursday, at a Salem Rotary Club luncheon, Ruths was presented the Jostens Trophy as the Division III player of the year.

Ruths also was named Most Outstanding Player for the tournament. He shot 20 of 28 from the floor (71.4 percent) and was 23 of 26 from the line.

"The Jostens is a great honor. I'm very proud to have received it," Ruths said. "But I feel like (the championship) goes above and beyond the Jostens just because we're bringing it home to a program that's never won this and to a coach that's deserved it for a very long time."

Mark Edwards has been the Bears' coach since 1981. This is his and the Bears' second trip to the final four. They finished third last year.

"It's a tremendous thrill to play two good games, to run and execute our style and to have fun," Edwards said. "These were two special days (for Ruths). What a way to end your career, to go off to life with one more accomplishment, and he's got the ultimate accomplishment of any D-III basketball player, a national championship.

"He's been an integral part of this program, and he's going to leave his imprint on the program for many years to come."

Ruths was joined on the all-tournament team by Bears sophomore guard Aaron Thompson, who scored 17 points Saturday. On Friday, he blitzed Hope for 15 points in five minutes.

Ruths expected to face double- and triple-teams in the final four. He was pleased it didn't happen.

"The last two games, they decided to play me straight up," Ruths said. "That's what I was praying for, and I took advantage of it."

Ruths repeatedly beat various Amherst defenders with his moves around the basket.

"He's getting to the (free-throw) line if he doesn't get the basket," Amherst coach Dave Hixon said.

The Bears (25-6) never trailed and led 45-32 at halftime.

Amherst (27-4) made a run in the second half, connecting on three 3-pointers in a 90-second span to close the Bears' lead to 55-49 with 15:07 left. But the Bears responded with a 14-2 run over the next five minutes.

The Bears' defense focused on containing Amherst's Andrew Olson, whom Edwards identified as one of the best point guards in the country. Olson managed to score 16 points but turned over the ball eight times.

"Ross Kelley dogged him," Edwards said. "We asked him not to steal the ball but to play as good defense as you can. Ross did that very effectively."

In the third-place game, Hope (28-4) outlasted Ursinus (29-4) 100-86.

Copyright 2008 St. Louis Post-Dispatch

•	Bears are champions Washington U. 90, Amherst 68 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sunday, March 23, 2008 Byline: John A. Montgomery, SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH