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SALEM, Va. – The Cabrini men's basketball season came to an end tonight as the Cavaliers fell to the No. 2 Amherst College Lord Jeffs 101-82 in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament.  The loss closes the Blue and White's campaign with a record of 25-6.

The loss also closes the careers of Cabrini's five seniors, Goran Dulac, DeLeon Floyd, John Glenn, Jeremy Knowles and A.J. Williams.  As a group, this is one of the most successful classes in program history.  As a group, these seniors accounted for 2,616 points and 1,353 points, while winning four consecutive Colonial States Athletic Conference championships.  They appeared in four NCAA Tournament, advancing to three Sweet 16's, two Elite 8's and the school's first ever national championship game.

The class boasts an overall record of 105-17, including a 8-1 mark on their home Nerney Field House floor.  Dulac and Williams, the program's only four year seniors, join Greg Zabel from the class of 2012 as the winningest players in program history with 105 victories.

On the night, sophomore Aaron Walton-Moss led five Cavaliers in double figures with 21 points and nine rebounds.  Junior Fran Rafferty added 18 points, surpassing the 1,000 career point plateau midway through the second half. 

Both clubs spent the game's opening minutes feeling each other out.  A Rafferty three pointer game the Blue and White its first lead of the game at 9-8.  Following a timeout and Amherst turnover, Walton-Moss' lay-up extended Cabrini's lead to a game-high three points.  The Lord Jeffs responded with a 16-4 run, building a 24-15 lead with 10:22 to play in the first.    

Rafferty and Walton-Moss combined to score Cabrini's next nine points as the Cavaliers leveled the score at 24.  Again, Amherst had an answer, recording 20 of the next 26 points, closing the opening half with a 44-30 lead.

Amherst did to Cabrini in the first half what the Blue and White had done to many teams this season, dominate the painted area.  The Lord Jeffs outrebounded the Cavaliers 21-14, leading to a 16-2 advantage in second chance points.  Amherst also took 10 more field goals in the first half an outscored the Cavaliers 32-18 in the lane.

Williams connected on a three pointer on the Blue and White's first possession of the second half, cutting the deficit to 11 points, but minutes later, Amherst ran off a 9-0 spurt, increasing its advantage to 55-35.  A Williams lay-up and five consecutive Rafferty points cut the lead back to 12 points, but it took Amherst less than two minutes to rebuild its lead back to 17 points. 

Rafferty's milestone came at the 11:34 mark of the second half as the Blue and White continued to chip away at Amherst's lead.  Following a media time out, Williams found the junior in perfect position to unleash his patented three point stroke.

The Cavaliers got as close a 73-64 with 8:30 to play but the Lord Jeffs tallied the next five points.  Though they trailed by 14 points, Amherst couldn't put Cabrini away.  The Blue and White had little trouble scoring from the floor but the Cavaliers struggled from the free throw line and could not get the defensive stops when needed.  Amherst put the game away from the free throw line as it connected on 13-14 attempts from the stripe.

Williams finished his career with 12 points on the night, including a stretch of seven consecutive Cabrini points between the first and second halves.  Junior Tim McDaniels added 11 points, while Knowles posted 10 in his final outing.

Five Lord Jeffs also scored in double figures, led by Willy workman's 21 points.  Guards Aaron Toomey and David Kalema posted 17 points each, while Allen Williamson recorded a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds.

With the win, Amherst (28-2) advances to Saturday's NCAA Final Four where it will face No. 3 North Central College (28-3) who defeated No. 7 Middleburry College 77-65 in Friday's final contest.  The other national semifinal pits No. 1 St. Thomas (Minn.) (29-1) and University of Mary Hardin Baylor (25-5).  Saturday's winners will meet on Sunday, April 7 in Atlanta, Ga. for the 2013 NCAA National Championship.