EASTERN, Pa.--The Hood College men's basketball team (2-1) handed the Eastern University Eagles (3-1) their first loss of the season, 90-88 in overtime, Tuesday evening in nonconference action.
The first half was a see-saw affair which featured three lead changes and seven ties. The Eagle lead swelled to as many as nine in the opening stanza but Hood managed to make it a one-possession game by intermission. Cameron Cook scored Hood's final five points of the period to draw the Blazers within 39-36 at halftime.
The Blazers managed to snag the lead midway through the second half when Terrell Buyck set up Lavar Rich under the basket for two, making it 55-54 Hood at the 10:11 mark. The lead flip-flopped twice more before the Blazers opened up a six-point advantage on a layup by Adrien Straughn with 2:50 to play in regulation.
In the closing moments of the second half, Hood owned a four-point edge after Justin Stone hit 1-of-2 from the line with 30 seconds showing on the clock. Eastern's Martin Soaries misfired on a three-ball but Alex Nelson was there for the offensive board and was fouled on a three-pointer. The foul would prove costly for the Blazers, as it was Rich's fifth of the contest. Nelson then connected on all three foul shots to draw the Eagles to within one with 18 seconds remaining and Eastern called timeout.
On the ensuing possession, Nelson was whistled for his fifth foul against Hood's Jordan Diggs. Diggs missed the first free throw but made the second to make it 79-77 Hood and the Blazers used a timeout with 14 ticks left.
On the inbounds play, Stone was called for his fifth foul which sent Soaries to the stripe for two. Soaries swished both attempts to tie the score at 79-79 with nine seconds to play, but the door was still ajar for Hood to notch the game-winning shot as the Blazers called timeout to set up a play.
Out of the timeout, it was Straughn who put up the shot but his jumper was off the mark, sending the game into overtime.
The Blazers controlled the tip and Diggs found Cook on the perimeter for three to start off the extra session. The Eagles returned the favor a few possessions later as Collin Whipple buried a three to grab an 84-82 lead for the hosts. But Cook continued to have the hot hand for the Blazers and drilled his fifth long-range bucket with 2:21 to play in overtime to tie the score at 85-85.
After another bucket by Cook put Hood up 87-75, Whipple knifed through the lane, got his shot to fall and drew a foul with 28 seconds to play. Whipple was unable to complete the three-point play however and the Blazers had the ball with 28 seconds left in a tie game.
Straughn would not be denied this time as he drove to the hoop and layed one in for the go-ahead basket with 22 seconds on the clock. At the other end, Eastern's Michael Donatoni was fouled trying to put back an Eagle miss and went to the line with a chance to tie the game for the 11th time on the night. His first shot bounced around and in but his second attempt was no good, and Straughn hauled in the rebound and was fouled. Straughn made 1-of-2 at the other end and a desperation three-point attempt by Soaries rimmed out as the Blazers escaped with the win.
Cook led all scorers with 28 points and knocked down five triples while Rich eclipsed his career-high in scoring for the second time this season with 24 points, 12 of which came from the foul line.
Buyck and Straughn also reached career-high scoring marks; Buyck hit 3-of-6 from the floor for eight points while Straughn connected on 5-of-11 field goals, including three treys, for 16 points.
The Blazers host their first contest of the season in their new home, the BB&T Arena, Monday against Penn State-Mont Alto at 7 p.m.