BOX
SCORE
BRUNSWICK, Maine – Shasha Brown scored a game-high 24 points,
including seven in overtime, to lead the Wesleyan University
men's basketball team to a 80-77 overtime victory at Bowdoin
on Friday evening. The Cardinals (11-12, 3-5 NESCAC) and Polar
Bears (13-10, 4-4) both still have a chance at earning a NESCAC
Quarterfinal home game pending Saturday's results.
The Cardinals came out firing, connecting on four three-pointers,
including three off the bench from Derick Beresford, to take a
25-13 lead midway through the opening half. Bowdoin responded with
an 8-2 run, capped by a Ben Olayinka lay-in to trim the lead to
27-21. Bowdoin chipped away at the lead and closed the gap to four
points on a buzzer-beating jumper by Randy DeFeo, 38-34.
A frantic second half saw seven tie scores and nine lead changes,
with Bowdoin claiming the largest advantage by either team when a
Mark Phillips lay-up put the hosts ahead by five, 65-60, with 4:55
to play. Jason Mendell brought the Cardinals closer at the free
throw line, and cut the lead to two points with a pair of freebies
with 1:35 remaining. After a missed Bowdoin jumper, Brown tied the
game at 69 with a driving layup at 1:09. Neither team could find
the game-winner with under a minute to play as the game advanced to
overtime.
Wesleyan took control in the extra session, scoring the first six
points and carrying a seven-point lead, 79-72, following two Brown
free throws with 30 seconds to play. Bowdoin mounted a furious late
charge, as a Phillips layup was followed by a Cardinal turnover and
a Will Hanley three-pointer. But Ryan O'Connell's
desperation three-pointer as time expired fell short as the
visitors clung to victory.
In addition to Brown, four other Cardinals saw double figures, led
by Beresford's 17. Mendell added 12 points and nine boards
while Mike Callaghan and David Maltz tossed in 10 points
apiece.
Hanley and Phillips had 22 points apiece for the Polar Bears while
Hanley also grabbed 12 boards and Phillips' nine. Randy DeFeo
scored 13 for Bowdoin, who received nine assists from Mike Hauser.
