BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Senior James Hock (Trumbull, Conn.) broke a 60-all tie on a free throw with 0:19 left, then added another foul shot in the closing seconds to provide Western New England University with a 62-60 overtime win over the University of New England in Commonwealth Coast Conference men's basketball action Saturday (Jan. 19) afternoon at the Harold Alfond Forum.
Western England snapped a three-game losing streak to improve to 5-10 overall, 4-5 in conference play. The Nor'easters now stand at 3-13, 2-7 in CCC action.
The Golden Bears were able to force overtime when junior Dennis Rinaldi (Harrison, N.Y.) dropped in a layup as time expired in regulation. Trailing by three (60-57) with just under a minute to play in the extra session, WNE evened the score on a three-pointer by senior Damon Alston (New Britian, Conn.) with 0:58 on the clock.
After UNE came up empty on its next possession, Hock gained control of a missed Western New England field goal attempt and was fouled. He missed the front end of the two-shot attempt but buried the next to give the Golden Bears a 61-60 advantage.
The Nor'easters were unable to tie the score on the ensuing trip up the floor despite having a decent look at the basket. UNE was forced to foul with 0:04 remaining, and Hock made 1 of 2. UNE had a desperation heave from halfcourt at the buzzer, but the attempt was off the mark.
Alston had 15 points to lead the way for the Golden Bears. He made three shots from beyond the arc. Rinaldi contributed nine points and seven rebounds, and first-year guard Sinclair Lewis (Bristol, Conn.) had nine points. Sophomore Musa Elsir (Springfield, Mass.) played a solid all-around game, finishing with nine points, five rebounds and three assists.
Rookie Devin Thompson (Winthrop, Maine) scored 13 of his game-high 16 points after halftime to pace the Nor'easters. Charles Fenner III (Bronx, N.Y.) added 11 points and sophomore Jake Abel (Fairfield, Calif.) eight.
Trailing 30-27 at the break, Western New England started the second half with a 11-2 spurt to build a 38-32 lead. UNE responded with seven straight points to re-assume the lead.
The remainder of regulation was back-and-forth with neither team leading by more than five points the rest of the way.
Junior Joshu Butler (Nantucket, Mass.) gave UNE a 55-53 advantage on a layup with 0:27 on the clock. Western New England turned the ball over on its next possession and was forced to foul with six seconds left. UNE failed to convert the front end of a 1-and-1, setting the stage for Rinaldi's buzzer-beating layup.
In overtime, the Nor'easters failed to convert any of their six field goal attempts, yet still managed to lead until the final minute.
For the afternoon, Western New England out-rebounded UNE, 43-31, including a 17-6 margin on the offensive window.
WNE plays a home non-conference tilt Monday (Jan. 21) versus