DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Kean University's Lincoln Holley drained a 3-pointer with 13.4 seconds remaining to give the Cougars a 63-60, non-conference victory at Delaware Valley College.
Kean improved to 2-6 on the season with both of its wins coming this week against teams atop their conference standings. On Wednesday, the Cougars bumped off fellow New Jersey Athletic Conference school and front-runner Rutgers-Newark before upending the Freedom Conference-leading Aggies (5-4) on Saturday. Delaware Valley will have its final home game of the 2014 portion of the schedule on Wednesday, December 17 when the Aggies host Bryn Athyn College.
Delaware Valley had possession with less than a minute to go and the score tied at 60-60, Nick Sullivan missed a jumper with 29 ticks to go and the rebound went out of bounds off an Aggie, giving Kean the ball. The Cougars came down the court and Emmanuel Omowole found a wide-open Holley at the top of the key. He hit nothing but net for his second trey and the team's 10th of the afternoon.
Delaware Valley crossed midcourt and called timeout with 10.2 seconds left. The Aggies were only able to get off a desperation 3-pointer by Zach Sly right before the buzzer and hit short off the rim to give Kean the win.
A fast-moving first half saw both teams shoot over 54 percent from the field. Delaware Valley was 15-for-26 (57.7 percent) while Kean connected on 13 of 24 attempts (54.2 percent). The teams combined for more 3-pointers (9) than fouls (8) and only two free throws were attempted over the 20 minutes.
Kean scored nine of the first 11 points, before the Aggie regrouped for a 23-21 lead. They then scored 13 of the next 15 for a 12-point advantage with 1:32 to go. Four different players scored in the run, including Barry Brockington who had four points including the final two on a layup.
However, the Cougars came back and notched the half's final seven points to trail by just five, 36-31. Omowole hit the first five and Tommy Soulias went coast-to-coast for a layup before the final buzzer.
Neither team shot as well in the second half, but both were still over 40 percent as only six more free throws were attempted. Delaware Valley upped its advantage to eight in the first six-plus minutes before seven straight from Kean made it a one-point contest. Neither team led by more than three the rest of the way with the Cougars' lone three-point lead coming on Holley's game-winning trey.
Soulias led all players with 24 points, including 15 in the second half. Omowole had nine points and four assists while Holley finished with eight points.
Chris Moran led the Aggies with 14 points and game-highs of eight rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots. Manny Ochenje added 12 points while Sly scored 11 points and dished out a season-high eight assists.