CLINTON, NY - For the second time in the 52-year history of Christopher Newport men's basketball, the Captains are heading to the Final Four. CNU captured the sectional at Hamilton College Saturday night by beating Williams College, 79-70, to improve to 29-3. The victory was the 13th straight for John Krikorian's squad.

Senior Marcus Carter led the way with 27 points, and junior Savonte Chappell came off the bench to post 17 as the Captains punched their ticket to Fort Wayne, Indiana, for next weekend's action.

"We just keep finding a way," Krikorian said as his team cut down the nets at Scott Field House. "I couldn't be more proud of these guys and the way they approach every game. These were two terrific programs we beat here this weekend, and there's nothing better as a coach than to see your guys performing like this and their desire to keep playing together."

Williams held the lead in the opening minute, 2-0, and never led the game again. The Captains surged ahead by as many as seven in the first half, 19-12, but the Ephs battled back to tie the game at 23-23 thanks to an 11-4. run. CNU went to the locker room at halftime with a two-point advantage, 32-30.

In the second half, the Captains opened the lead to nine, 46-37, before Williams scored six straight points to climb within three, 46-43. It would be as close as the Ephs would get, as CNU stretched the lead to as many as 13 on the way to the nine-point triumph. The Captains ended up out-scoring Williams in the second stanza, 47-40. Christopher Newport is now 25-0 this season when leading at halftime.

Junior Cutch Ellis recorded 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds, and sophomore Jason Aigner also reached double figures with ten points, and added two more three-point field goals. Aigner has now knocked down 116 threes this year, most ever in a single season in program history.

CNU's defense forced 17 Williams turnovers, and held the Ephs to just 42 percent shooting in the second half (13 of 31). The Captains made 14 of 25 second half shots (56 percent) including three from long range.

By winning over the Ephs, the ninth-ranked Captains defeated a program from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) for the second straight night. CNU knocked out host Hamilton College on Friday evening, 75-67.

The Captains will play Swarthmore College (PA) next Friday at Allen County War Memorial Field House in Fort Wayne, IN. Game time for the semifinal game will be either 6:00 or 8:00 p.m. Swarthmore is 28-3 and defeated Nichols Saturday night, 69-65, to advance. Wheaton (IL) and Wisconsin-Oshkosh also advanced Saturday and will meet in the other semifinal next Friday in Fort Wayne.

Carter's 27-point outburst moved him into fifth on CNU's all-time scoring list. He has now scored 1,809 career points and is just 12 points behind Conley Taylor for fourth on the list. The fifth-year senior made nine of 16 shots from the field Saturday, including two from distance. He also connected on seven of nine at the foul line, and pulled down five rebounds. 

CNU's other trip to the Final Four came in the 2015-16 season, when the Captains finished 30-2 after losing to St. Thomas (MN) in a semifinal game in Salem, VA. CNU's 29 victories this season is second only to the 30 registered during the Final Four campaign.

Christopher Newport and Swarthmore have played just once, in the 2016-17 NCAA Tournament. The Captains recorded a 77-67 victory over the Garnet on their home floor in the suburbs of Philadelphia. The Captains are also 1-0 all-time vs. Wheaton (IL) with the victory coming in the 2002-03 season, and Wisconsin-Oshkosh won over CNU in 2008-09 in the only game ever between the schools.

The Captains are now 22-23 all-time in NCAA Tournament games, and are appearing in the tournament for the 23rd time, and fourth straight year.