BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Senior forward Nicholas Motta (Fairhaven, Mass.) scored 29 points, including the game-tying three-pointer with five seconds remaining in regulation, as the Bridgewater State University men's basketball team posted a dramatic 109-108 double-overtime victory over visiting Bowdoin College on Tuesday night at the Tinsley Center.
Bridgewater State improves to 13-8 with the non-conference win, while Bowdoin falls to 13-8. The game was close throughout with 23 ties and 25 lead changes.
Bridgewater was able to take advantage of two missed Polar Bear free throws at both the end of regulation and the first overtime period to extend the game.
Leading 83-80 with 18 seconds left in the second half, Bowdoin missed both ends of a two-shot foul. The Bears took advantage as Motta tied the game with his clutch three from the corner. The Polar Bears still had a chance to win as junior guard Justin Nowell (Cos Cob, Conn.) went the length of the floor for a driving layup, but his buzzer-beating shot was blocked by Motta.
Bowdoin was victimized again at the charity stripe at the end of the first overtime. Up 95-93, the visitors missed a pair of free throws with six seconds remaining. Bridgewater guard Anthony Fortes (East Providence, R.I.) grabbed the defensive board, raced the length of the floor and was fouled on a layup attempt as time expired. A 62% free throw shooter on the year, the sophomore calmly drained two free throws to send the game into the second extra session.
Down 106-105 in the final minute of overtime number two, things again looked bleak for the Bears after Fortes turned the ball over with 39 seconds left to play. But Fortes redeemed himself with a big steal, and senior forward Judah Jackson (Everett, Mass.) knocked down two foul shots to give BSU the one point lead at 107-106.
After a missed Bowdoin three-pointer, Fortes sank two more foul shots to put the hosts up by three with 12 seconds remaining. Nowell received the inbounds pass on the ensuing possession and was fouled on a three-point attempt as the clock ticked down to six seconds. Nowell buried the first two free throws but missed the third. Junior guard Ryan O'Connell (Ipswich, Mass.) grabbed the long offensive rebound but his bank-shot was off the mark. Freshman guard Matt Mathias (Baltimore, Md.) pulled down another offensive board, but his jumper at the buzzer was blocked by Motta.
Along with his 29 points, Motta added three blocks, four steals and a pair of assists. He was also 6-for-6 from the free throw line. As a team, the Bears went 28-for-32 (88%) from the charity stripe while Bowdoin missed 12 free throws and finished 20-for-32 (63%) at the line.
After missing all eight of their three-point attempts in the first half, Bridgewater knocked down 7 of 12 trifectas the rest of the way. The Bears also scored 33 points off of 23 Bowdoin turnovers. Senior center Samuel Johnson (North Chelmsford, Mass.), who finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, recorded five of Bridgewater's 16 steals on the evening.
Senior guard Corey Connor (Providence, R.I.) added 18 points for the Bears as he was 4 of 8 from behind the arc. Fortes, who was 7-for-7 at the line, finished with 15 points, eight boards and two steals, while Jackson tallied 17 points, seven rebounds and a team-high seven assists. Sophomore guard Shawn Yard (Brockton, Mass.) chipped in with nine points, six assists and three steals.
Junior forward Will Hanley (New Canaan, Conn.) had a sensational game for Bowdoin before fouling out with 32 seconds left in the second overtime. Hanley scored a game-high 33 points on 13 of 16 shooting and also added 12 rebounds for a double-double.
Nowell finished with 22 points, eight boards, eight assists and three steals, while O'Connell and senior guard Randy DeFeo (Ridgewood, N.J.) added 16 and ten points respectively. The Polar Bears shot 57% from the floor and held a 44-38 rebounding advantage.