Nashua, NH – Trailing by as many as 17 in the first half and playing catch-up all night, the Daniel Webster College men's basketball team pulled within one point with 49 seconds remaining but couldn't overcome Colby-Sawyer as the Chargers pulled out a thrilling, 67-64 victory in the opening round of the annual Rivier College/All Metals Industries Coca-Cola Tip Off at the Muldoon Center Friday night.
The loss, eerily similar to last season's three-point loss that went to the final seconds between the two clubs, sends the Eagles into Saturday's consolation matchup with Bard College, which fell to the host Raiders, 78-51 in the night's opening game.
The Eagles and Raptors will tip off at Noon in the first meeting between the programs since January 1995. Rivier will face Colby-Sawyer for the title at 2:00 p.m.
Senior Chris Hanson (Salem, N.H.) led the Eagles (1-1) with 16 points, knocking down four three-pointers and added seven steals, while sophomore Keith Speed (Columbus, Ohio) added 14 points, adding three assists and three caused turnovers.
John Hickson (Springfield, Mass.) added nine points off the bench while Omari Wright (Laurelton, N.Y.) added a spark with seven points, three boards, two assists and two steals. Eric Suarez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) led DWC on the boards with nine including seven on the offensive glass.
Colby-Sawyer (1-1) was paced by a strong double double outing from rookie Robbie Burke who notched game high 20 points and 11 rebounds while sophomore Corey Willis added 11 points including five three-pointers.
The Eagles took their only lead in the first 20 seconds on a Hanson three but suffered a nightmarish seven minute stretch from there going scoreless until Hanson sank two at the line at the 13:02 mark and Speed finally broke the field goal drought with a three from the right corner with 11:46 left.
By that point, Colby-Sawyer had built a 22-5 lead, yet DWC settled and began to hit while clamping down defensively and stayed in it pulling to within eight (38-30) at the break.
Colby-Sawyer would never pull ahead by more than 12 in the second and the Eagles continued to stay within striking distance before mounting a wild charge over the final five minutes.
Down 65-55 with 3:42 to go, Jonathan Smalls (Deer Park, N.Y.) buried a layup with 3:18 left and after a missed free throw, Suarez grabbed the rebound and sank one of two at the line.
After a Charger miss, Speed followed with a J with 2:42 left for a five point game and after another Charger miss, Speed cut it to three with a runner in the lane.
CSC worked to clock inside a minute but missed and Suarez converted inside off a nifty Hanson feed with 49 seconds left for a 65-64 game.
The Chargers answered on Burke's biggest of the night with 21 ticks left. A Hanson attempt to tie with eight seconds bounced out and a desperation three from Wright as time expired fell short.
CSC finished with a big advantage on the boards (46-33) and shot 45-percent on the night. The Eagles finished 39-percent but struggled from the arc (8-27).