NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Despite a career-high 27 points and a school-record 23 rebounds from senior forward Sam Herrick (Duxbury, MA), the Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team edged Wentworth, 96-95, in double overtime. The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Quarterfinal game was a thriller to the end as Wentworth missed a shot as the buzzer sounded to preserve the Falcon victory.
The first half featured a pair of runs by each team with Wentworth holding the 35-34 lead entering halftime.
Wentworth used a 7-1 run late in the second half to take a 68-58 with 4:36 remaining in the contest. Albertus responded with a 5-0 run to cut the lead following junior forward Ray Askew's (New Haven, CT) three-point play and freshman forward Chris Cagle (New Haven, CT) slashing layup with 3:56 remaining. After trading baskets, Cagle was fouled and senior guard Walden St. Juste would make both free throws after a technical foul. Trailing 72-67 with 2:05 remaining, Cagle missed both free throws with the second shot going out of bounds to Wentworth.
The Falcons forced a turnover on the out of bounds pass as sophomore guard Arshad Jackson (Hartford, CT) scored the layup after senior guard Byron Reaves (Hamden, CT/Hamden) steal and assist making the score 72-69 with just under two minutes remaining. Following a pair of Wentworth free throws by sophomore guard Corey Therriault (Auburn, ME), Askew answered with a layup of his own.
Albertus trailed 74-71 with just 26 seconds remaining when junior guard Eric Prue (Auburn, ME) was fouled, missing the first free-throw and making the second for the 75-71 lead. Askew would draw a quick foul but only make one of two cutting the lead to 75-72 with 19 seconds remaining.
The Falcons forced a turnover as junior guard Alex Muniz (Bridgeport, CT) stole the inbounds pass and got the assist as Askew scored off the glass to cut the score to 75-74 with 15 seconds remaining. Therriault would calmly swish both free throws to make game 77-74 with just 10 seconds remaining. Junior Wentworth guard Adam Dombrowski (Dunstable, MA) would be whistled for the foul with Jackson at the line for two. Jackson swished the first shot and intentionally missed the next free-throw as Askew was able to tip in the rebound with just 3.9 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 77-77. Dombrowski would take a deep three as the buzzer sounded but missed forcing a first overtime period.
The first overtime period was back and forth with the Falcons using a pair of Jackson free-throws to take the 87-84 lead with under a minute to go. After a pair of missed Albertus free-throws Wentworth had one last chance to tie the game. With just 10 seconds on the clock freshman guard Derek Mayo (Casco, ME) swished a deep three pointer to force a second overtime as the Falcons failed to get a shot off in the remaining seconds.
The second overtime period saw Wentworth surge to a pair of three point leads until Jackson made two free throws to cut the Wentworth lead to 93-92 with just over two minutes. Mayo had an open drive to the lane before Askew blocked the ball with Jackson finding a slashing sophomore forward Mike Massey (New Haven, CT/Hamden Hall) to put the Falcons on top 94-93 with 1:45 remaining. Mayo would make a layup on the next possession to give Wentworth the 95-94 lead with just over a minute remaining.
Askew missed a layup as senior forward Herrick grabbed his school record 23rd rebound of the night giving Wentworth the ball with 1:05 remaining and the 95-94 lead. Following a Mayo miss, Jackson was fouled where he calmly sank both free-throws to give the Falcons the 96-95 lead with 32.9 seconds remaining. Herrick would have his shot blocked by Askew out of bounds giving Wentworth another chance to win the game with less than ten seconds remaining. Herrick turned and shot again as his layup rimmed out and Massey secured the rebound and the win for the Falcons.
Albertus was led by Askew and his game high 31 points and team high 14 rebounds. Jackson added 24 points including 14-16 from the charity stripe. Cagle would add 14 points and six rebounds. Herrick went 9-for-17 from the floor in the loss, while Dombrowski and Therriault added 22 and 20 points, respectively. Mayo scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
The fourth-seeded Falcons travel to Eastern Connecticut State University for an ECAC Semifinal on Saturday at 5:00 PM as they take on the top-seeded Warriors, who defeated eighth-seeded Regis 66-58. The two Semifinal winners play on Sunday at 7:00 pm for the ECAC Championship. Wentworth, making its second straight ECAC Tournament berth, ends its season at 18-11.
-Story Courtesy of Albertus Magnus Sports Information-
