Hartford, Conn. –Junior Ryan O'Connell (Ipswich, Mass.) hit seven three-pointers and totaled a career-high 27 points to lead the visiting Bowdoin College Polar Bear men's basketball team to 77-74 overtime win over the Trinity College Bantams in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) men's basketball action this evening at Oosting Gym.  Trinity drops to 10-9 overall and 1-3 in the NESCAC with its third consecutive loss, while Bowdoin ups its season mark to 12-4 overall and 2-2 in the league with its first win in three games. 

O'Connell's final three-pointer of the night gave Bowdoin the lead for good in overtime, 70-68, just 1:05 into the extra session.  A three-pointer by Trinity senior co-captain forward Luke MacDougall (Baldwinsville, N.Y.), who led the Bantams with 23 points, with three seconds left cut the deficit to 75-74, and O'Connell answered with a pair from the foul line.  A Bowdoin player threw the ball up in the air in the final second, and it hit the ceiling to give Trinity a final chance to tie in its own end with 0.5 seconds remaining, but the Polar Bears tipped the inbounds pass to secure the win.

Trinity trailed, 9-0, after nearly three minutes of play, but clawed its way back to a three-point deficit at the half (38-35) on a bucket by MacDougall in the final minute before the break.  Bowdoin pulled back ahead early in the second stanza, leading, 54-46, with 12:20 on the clock before an 11-0 Bantam run gave the home team its first lead at 57-54 on a three-pointer from the left wing by senior guard Ian Fels (Miami, Fla.).  A Bantam trey with under five minutes left by sophomore guard Mick DiStasio (Cheverus, Maine) pushed the Trinity lead up to 62-56, but O'Connell capped off a 10-2 Bowdoin run with a three-pointer and a pair of free throws to give Bowdoin a 66-64 lead with under two minutes left.  MacDougall fought his way in for a layup to force the overtime with 40 seconds left, and Hanley's 10-foot jumper to for the win in regulation hit the front of the rim.

MacDougall finished 3-for-8 from long range and 6-for-6 from the line while adding a  game-high 10 rebounds, and freshman swingman Eric Dean (Gilford, N.H.) added 15 points off the Bantam bench.  Fels notched 11 points and a team-high six assists.  O'Connell connected on seven of his eight attempts from beyond the arc, while Hanley pitched in 21 points and six rebounds, and Polar Bear junior guard Justin Nowell (Cos Cob, Conn.) added eight assists.