Clinton, N.Y. - Greg Newton scored the go-ahead layup with 1.8 seconds remaining to lift Hamilton College to a dramatic 60-58 win over Clark University in the championship game of the Hamilton Tip-Off Tournament at Scott Field House on Saturday evening.
The win for the Continentals gives them their sixth tournament title in the last seven years and sends their record to 2-0.
Clark (1-2) opened the game with a 10-0 run, and Hamilton didn't record its first points until Newton finally sank a 3-pointer nearly eight minutes into the game.
The Cougars stretched their lead to 23-7 with 5:31 remaining in the first half. Hamilton narrowed the gap during the final five minutes and trailed 29-20 at the break.
The Continentals started the second half with a 13-3 run, using seven points from Hans Schulte to take their first lead 33-32 with just over 15 minutes to play. Neither team led by more than three points the rest of the way.
With just over 33 seconds remaining Hamilton called a timeout, and on the ensuing play, Newton buried an open jump shot from the left foul line extended to tie the score at 58.
Clark called a timeout with 22 seconds remaining, but the Continentals were able to force a key turnover on defense with seven seconds left. Newton took the inbounds pass from his own baseline, dribbled the length of the floor through several Clark defenders, and hit a layup to give Hamilton a 2-point lead with 1.8 seconds left.
The Cougars had a chance to send the game to overtime on the inbounds play, but a final shot came up short.
Brian Vayda (Sturbridge, Mass.) led all scorers with 24 points, while Tucker Esborn (Branford, Conn.) added a career-best 19 points and seven rebounds. Both were named to the all-tournament team, as was Newton, who rang up 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting.
Pat Sullivan, meanwhile, was named the tournament's most outstanding player after finishing with 16 points and eight rebounds.
Clark will return to the hardwood on Tuesday with a matchup against Worcester-area rival Anna Maria at 4:00 p.m.