'Bounce back': After falling short last season, Walsh men's basketball earns an NCAA berth
NORTH CANTON — Walsh's Zack Oddo remembers the empty feeling during last year's Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament final.
The game was played on Walsh's home court, but Oddo and the Cavaliers were not in it. A semifinal loss to rival Malone left them as spectators and ultimately knocked them out of the NCAA Division II Tournament.
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"Our motto all year was 'Bounce back,'" Oddo said.
Boy, did they ever.
The Cavaliers pulled away late and beat Thomas More 65-56 in Saturday's G-MAC Tournament championship game at Alumni Arena. It is the fourth tournament title and NCAA berth for Walsh since 2019.
Walsh needed a game-ending 11-4 run to close out Thomas More, which wrapped up its first season in Division II. The Saints were ineligible to reach the NCAA Tournament because of the mandatory transition period after they left the NAIA. That didn't stop them from making the Cavs earn their berth.
No team led by more than four points until Garrison Keeslar's layup with 1:26 left pushed Walsh ahead 60-54.
"That was a classic championship game," Keeslar said. "Two hard-nose teams that were going to defend. It was tough to get anything going.
"All year if you look, we've been a second-half team. We did what we do. We defended and ended up getting the win."
Slow starts from Keeslar and Kobe Mitchell — Walsh's All-G-MAC first teamers — meant others had to help shoulder the load.
Oddo responded by scoring 11 of his 15 points in the second half. In less than three minutes, he hit a 3-pointer and converted three layups.
"A lot of teams focus and Garrison and Kobe, so I don't have a lot of focus on me," Oddo said. "When they were getting face guarded and doubled like they were, I just think 'I gotta go and make a play.' I don't have to score necessarily. I want to get in the lane and make a play for myself or someone else."
Oddo's third layup kept Walsh in front 48-45. He scored all nine Cavs points during that stretch.
"Zack has been phenomenal all year," Keeslar said. "I'm so proud of the kid. He has worked his butt off. He's one of the best players on the team and the reason we won at all. He started going at people and said 'I don't care if you're guarding me. I'm going to get to the cup and get a bucket.'"
Keeslar's impact helped the Cavs take command. He scored 14 of his game-high 20 points in the second half, including Walsh's last nine. Seven of Keeslar's points came at the free throw line.
"We just give him the ball and let him make a play," Cavs head coach Jeff Young said. "It usually works out pretty good for us."
Keeslar, Oddo and Mitchell were named to the all-tournament team. Keeslar was voted the MVP. He averaged just over 18 points and eight rebounds in Walsh's three wins.
"I just trusted my coaching staff and the abilities God gifted me with," Keeslar said. "I trust my game. I have put a lot of work into it over the years and it pays off.
"If you never cheat the game, the game will never cheat you."
Nic Smith also scored 12 points for the Cavs (24-5), who will await Sunday night's NCAA Tournament announcement. Knowing ahead of time their name will be on the bracket is a comforting thought.
"To win the league outright last year and not get in, the guys were very disappointed," Young said. "Then we start 1-3, and it's like 'Man, it's going to be hard to get in again.' They figured it out."
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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Walsh University men's basketball team heading to NCAA Tournament
