JARED SOARES The Roanoke Times

Washington University's Troy Ruths (holding trophy) scores 33 points to lead the Bears over Amherst in the NCAA Division III title game.

Photos by JARED SOARES The Roanoke Times

Washington's Cameron Smith (center) fights for a rebound against Amherst's Brandon Jones (left) and Matt Goldsmith.

Amherst College's Fletcher Walters puts up a shot over Washington University's Moss Schermerhorn and Cameron Smith (34). Walters finishes with 17 points.

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Jared Soares | The Roanoke Times

Washington University's Troy Ruths (holding trophy) scores 33 points to lead the Bears over Amherst in the NCAA Division III title game. See highlights from the game

After spending much of the season being draped by multiple defenders, Washington University star forward Troy Ruths was hopeful he might not draw so much attention in the NCAA Division III men's basketball championship.

"I saw a lot of things from double teams to triple teams," Ruths said. "And these last two games they decided to play me straight-up. And that's what I was praying for."

Trying to play solitaire with Ruths proved to be a costly sin for the nation's top two ranked teams.

Ruths provided an encore Saturday afternoon that even topped his Friday night show, scoring 33 points to spark Washington to a 90-68 dismantling of defending champion Amherst (Mass.) College in the championship game in front of 2,607 fans at the Salem Civic Center.

The victory gave the St. Louis-based school its first-ever national crown, not only in basketball but in any men's sport.

"We're bringing that banner home," said Ruths, the Bears' hard-working 6-foot-6, 220-pound forward. "Talk about icing on the cake for me. I came here to win a national championship, and I'm proud that I did that my last year."

It capped a four-day stay in Salem that Ruths won't forget. On Thursday, he picked up the Jostens Award that honors the most outstanding player in Division III. Ruths can only be thankful that he turned down at least a dozen or so offers from Division I schools.

"I could have gone to mid-major D-1," he said. "But in the end, the academics, and honestly the chance to play on a winning team, won me over. Looking back, it would have been miserable. None of the D-I schools who recruited me are winning any national titles."

Ruths, who had 30 points in his club's 89-74 rout of No. 1 Hope College in Friday's semifinals, amassed 63 points in the two games. He was a combined 20-for-28 from the floor, was 23-of-26 from the free-throw line, plus added 14 rebounds.

"I wonder why he didn't do that in all of [the games]?" Washington coach Mark Edwards cracked. "Certainly, it was two special days and what a way to end your career."

Washington, a loser in last year's semifinals in Salem, made sure it wasn't going to come up short this time. Edwards' club shot 60 percent (30-for-50) Saturday, 24 hours after serenading Hope with 55.8-percent string music. The Bears never trailed Saturday in taking out an Amherst club that was making its third straight and fourth appearance in Salem the past five years.

"It's a tremendous thrill to come out here and win the championship, to play two good games against two good teams and be able to execute and run our style, and just to have fun," said Edwards, in his 27th season at Washington.

Amherst never had a chance. The Lord Jeffs (27-4) fell behind 21-8 in the first 7:50. And each time Amherst tried to make a run, Washington had answers in Ruths and sophomore guard Aaron Thompson, who was 7-for-12 from the perimeter for 19 points.

"They did to us today what we've had the pleasure doing to other people," Amherst coach Dave Hixon lamented. "They did the same thing [Friday] against Hope. Every time we'd do good things, they would match us. That's what we've been doing all year long and they did it right back to us ... in triple."

Ruths, who entered the weekend averaging a shade under 20 points per game, said he couldn't have written a better script. It made him think twice about entering grad school immediately.

"I might could go play overseas," he said. "I don't know all the possibilities for someone my size. I think it would be a great way to see the world. I think I could add a lot to a team over there."

Hope, which beat Ursinus 100-86 in the third-place game and Amherst would probably agree.

AMHERST (27-4)

Olson 6-12 2-2 16, Baskauskas 5-9 2-2 12, Walters 6-12 3-4 17, Hopkins 3-6 0-0 6, Jones 3-7 5-5 12, Wong 0-1 0-0 0, Bradley 0-0 0-0 0, Meehan 0-1 0-0 0, Goldsmith 2-3 0-1 4, Holsey 0-2 1-2 1. Totals 25-53 13-16 68.

WASHINGTON, MO. (25-6)

Kelley 1-2 0-0 2, Nading 5-12 3-5 13, Thompson 7-12 2-2 19, SMith 3-4 0-0 7, Ruths 9-13 15-17 33, Schermerhorn 0-0 0-0 0, Sapp 0-0 1-2 1, Wolf 0-0 0-0 0, O'Boyle 3-5 0-0 8, Greenberg 1-1 0-0 2, Knepper 1-1 2-2 5, Kelly 0-0 0-0 0, Young 0-0 0-0 0, Gordon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-50 23-28 90.

Halftime--Washington, Mo. 45-32. 3-point goals--Amherst 5-20 (Olson 2-6, Walters 2-6, Jones 1-4, Wong 0-1, Goldsmith 0-1, Baskauskas 0-2), Washington, Mo. 7-15 (Thompson 3-8, O'Boyle 2-3, Knepper 1-1, Smith 1-2, Nading 0-1). Fouled out--None. Rebounds--Amherst 23 (Walter, Hopkins 4), Washington, Mo. 28 (Ruths 8). Assists--Amherst 16 (Olson 6), Washington, Mo. 21 (Kelley 5). Total fouls--Amherst 19, Washington, Mo. 12. A--2,607.