WASHINGTON, Pa. (Nov. 28) - Tom Kromka scored a career-high 25 points and Cletus Helton connected on a dramatic three-pointer to beat the regulation buzzer and force overtime in a 84-78 overtime victory over Washington and Jefferson College in Presidents' Athletic Conference action. 

The contest included 10 ties and 14 lead changes. The win was the 17^th straight in the head to head series for Saint Vincent over W&J.  

Trailing by a 69-66 score with just less than four seconds to play. Helton caught the inbounds pass and raced up the near sideline and launched a dramatic game-tying shot, banking it off the glass to beat the buzzer and force the extra session. 

With the score tied at 73-73 with 2:31 left to play in overtime, Saint Vincent took control, as Kromka and Helton converted back-to-back baskets, to take the lead for good. After a pair of free throws by W&J cut the deficit to 77-75 with 30 seconds to play, Saint Vincent finished off the win at the free throw line, converting seven of the last eight free throw attempts. 

Saint Vincent used a strong start to build an early 9-2 advantage less than three minutes into the game. After Tom Kromka and Ryan Dutton opened the game with back-to-back layups, David Stephen tacked five consecutive points to five SVC a seven-point edge.
 
A layup by Kromka pushed the lead to 15-9 with 13:46 remaining in the opening half. However, W&J countered back with seven straight points to take a 16-15 lead at the 12:10 mark. The two teams exchanged points, as W&J would build its advantage to as many as three (18-15) during the extended run.
 
A pair of free throws by Mike Simmons helped SVC regain the lead at 26-25 with 6:39 to play in the first half. A little later a steal and uncontested layup by Stephen would make it 33-27 Bearcats with 1:33 remaining in the half. W&J would get a layup with two seconds left to draw within four points (33-29) at halftime.
 
W&J would surge into the lead to start the second half, using a 10-2 spurt to take a 39-35 advantage over Saint Vincent. A three-point play capped the run at the 15:59 mark. Back-to-back layups by Dutton and Kromka tied the score at 39-39 at the 15:18 mark.
 
The two teams would exchange leads over the next several minutes until the Bearcats gained a 48-45 lead with 11:02 to play. After an intentional foul was called against the Presidents, Cletus Helton converted two free throws and Kromka added a layup for a four-point swing.
 
A three-point play by Primo Zini with 10:42 left would tie the game at 48-48 and eventually spark a 12-2 run by W&J. The run was capped by a layup and free throw to make it 57-50 at the 8:17 mark.
 
SVC would start to chip away, as Kromka connected on two of four free throw shots. A little later, Stephen would hit on a straightaway three to bring the deficit to 57-55 with 5:37 to play.
 
After a layup by W&J pushed the lead to four points, Stephen hit a pair of free throws and Cletus Helton added a finger roll layup to tie the score (59-59) with 3:34 to play. The Presidents would use three free throw makes to take a 62-59 lead at the 2:11 mark. 
 
Trailing by a 64-61 score, Kromka converted a three-point play to tie the game with 36.9 seconds left. W&J would score five of the next seven points before Helton's buzzer beater.  

For the game, Kromka just missed another double-double, finishing with 25 points and nine rebounds. Stephen tallied 18 points, while Dutton added 14 markers and eight rebounds. Helton completed the quartet of double-digit scorers with 10. 

Saint Vincent outscored W&J by a 23-13 margin in points off turnovers. W&J held a 31-19 advantage in bench points. 

The win moves Saint Vincent to 6-1 overall, while W&J falls to 2-5 for the 2018-19 season. 
 
Saint Vincent travels to Grove City College for a matchup with the Wolverines on Saturday, Nov. 28. Start time is slated for 3 p.m.