CHICOPEE, Mass. -- Sometimes, you have to work overtime to finish the job.

Westfield State University men's basketball did just that with a pair of buzzer beaters in regulation and at the end of the first overtime, as the Owls rallied from a 18-point second half deficit for an 85-83 double-overtime win over Elms College capped off by a pair of free throws from senior guard Jesus Sanchez with just 2/10ths of a second left on the clock to seal the win.

Westfield trailed 36-19 at the half.   The Owls shot just 25 percent from the floor, including 4-19 shooting from three point range, and turned the ball over nine times.  Elms shot 5-14 from three point range and out-rebounded Westfield 23-18 in the opening stanza.   DeAngelo Cousar (12) and Symon Smyth (11) combined to score 23 of Elms 36 points in the half.   Sophomore guard Peter Mafo was the only Owl with more than one bucket in the first half. 

The Owls trailed 42-24 after a Conny Ihearahu layup with 17:36 to play in regulation time, and 48-31 with 14:21 left in the game.  Sanchez sparked the epic comeback with a layup, got a steal and fed Mafo for another layup on the ensuing possession, and Jose Allen buried a three-pointer on the next trip to cut the lead to 10, 48-38 with 12:35 left in the second half.

Westfield chiseled the lead down to a single point on another Allen 3 pointer with 4:55 to play, but couldn't get the lead in regulation, needing a corner three-pointer from sophomore Cam Earle, who had entered the game for the possession, to tie the game at 64-all with 2.9 seconds left to force the first overtime.

Elms had the Owls on the ropes at the end of the first over time.  Leading 72-70 with the ball and a four-second difference in the shot and game clocks, the Owls fouled Smith with 10.8 seconds left, and he hit both free throws for a 74-70 Blazers lead.   But the Owls weren't finished, as Mafo drove the length of the court and missed a layup, but Marcus Collins followed up with the offensive rebound and layup.  Mafo forced an Elms turnover on the baseline inbounds play, and the Owls had an inbounds play opportunity with 2.7 seconds left.   Maro found Collins cutting to the hoop for a game tying layup, and a desperation try from Elms hit the ceiling to ensure the second overtime.

Westfield took an 83-80 lead on Marcus Collins' tip in with 1:37 left in the second overtime, but fouls on the next two possessions enabled Elms' Smith to hit three of four free throws and tie the game at 83-all.

Westfield's final possession saw Earle launch a contested three pointer from the left side, but Sanchez batted the rebound to himself and was fouled with 2/10ths of a second left as he attempted a layup.

Sanchez drained both free throws to seal the win, as Elms was unable to get a shot off as time expired.  Westfield's comeback was buoyed by foul trouble for Cousar, who left with three fouls midway through the second half, and fouled out with 2:55 left in regulation, removing a paint presence for the Blazers.  The Owls connected on 18-28 shots in the second half, a blistering 64 percent, and made five of 11 three pointers in the second half.  The made baskets enabled Westfield to get the press working, forcing nine Elms turnovers in the second half.

Westfield finished with four players scoring in double-figures, led by 23 from Sanchez.  Mafo added 19, Allen 14, and Allister Williams netted 10, including a pair of big three-pointers in the second half. Westfield improves to 8-13 on the season with the win, while Elms drops to 4-17.

Elms was paced by 28 points from Smith, with Cousar finishing with 15.  Conny Ihearahu added 14 points and 16 rebounds.