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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals Friday night thanks to a 72-60 home victory over Mary Hardin-Baylor. The Captains, ranked second in the nation, will play Wheaton College (IL) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Freeman Center, with the victor moving on to the National Semifinals next week in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The Thunder of Wheaton, ranked ninth in the country, won the first game of the night Friday at the Freeman Center, knocking out fourth-ranked Saint Joseph, 74-67. Wheaton is now 25-4 on the year.

John Krikorian's squad won its 12th straight game thanks to a balanced effort that saw four Captains score in double digits. Junior Jahn Hines led the way with 17 points, followed by sophomore Ty Henderson's 15, fifth-year senior Matthew Brodie's 13, and junior Trey Barber's 12 points. The Captains, now 27-3, led by 11 at the half, 36-25, and the 17th-ranked Crusaders could get no closer than four through the second stanza.

" Our guys were really locked in, and I thought we competed at a high level, especially defensively," Krikorian said following the victory. "It was a physical game, and we knew it would be, but I thought if we could just make enough shots we'd be OK with the way our defense was playing. In the end, we were able to do that and hold them off."

The Crusaders jumped to an early 6-2 lead, before the Captains went ahead on a three-pointer by Jahn Hines with 16:40 to play in the opening half, 11-8. It would prove to be the only lead change of the game, as the Captains never relinquished the advantage. UMHB cut the lead to four, 46-42, on a three-pointer by senior Ty Prince with 13:14 to play, but could get no closer. CNU surged ahead by as many as 16 with 4:48 to go in the second half en route to the 12-point triumph. 

Prince led all scorers with 33 points, and posted 27 of his team's 35 points in the second half. Christopher Newport dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Crusaders, 48-35, with senior Ian Anderson recording ten rebounds in just 16 minutes of action. Barber pulled down nine boards, Jahn Hines had eight, and fifth-year senior Rodney Graves posted seven.

"The rebounding was key, as it so often is," Krikorian continued. "When we get on the glass like that, it leads to so many opportunities...and it's such a big part of the DNA of this team."

CNU put the game on ice at the foul line, converting 19-of-26 shots for the game, including 16-of-23 (70 percent) in the second half. The Captains knocked down seven-of-eight at the charity stripe in the final two minutes to seal the win and advance to play Saturday night.

The battle in the round of 16 was the first meeting ever of the schools, and Mary Hardin-Baylor concluded the season with a 23-5 final record. The Crusaders had averaged 84 points per game this season prior to the Captains holding them to just 60.

Christopher Newport and Wheaton will be playing for just the second time when they match up in the National Quarterfinals Saturday night. CNU defeated the Thunder, 72-70, on January 4, 2003, in the championship game of the Captains Shootout at the Freeman Center. 

This marks the fifth time in the 55-year history of the program the Captains have reached the Elite Eight. CNU is now 11-3 all-time in NCAA games at the Freeman Center, and 30-25 all-time in NCAA play. CNU is playing in its seventh straight NCAA Tournament, and 26th in program history.