ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Ross Gang scored 14 of his team-high 18 points down the stretch as the University of Rochester edged NYU, 74-70, in overtime at the Louis Alexander Palestra on Friday evening. Rochester improved to 3-3 in the University Athletic Association, 11-5 overall. NYU is 0-5 in the UAA and 9-6 overal/
Gang hit 8 of 18 from the floor, 1 of 3 o three-point shots, and 1-1 at the line. He added seven rebounds and five assists. Matt Wiele scored 14 points for Rochester on 6-8 shooting with one three-pointer and 1-2 at the line. Wiele collected five rebounds. Dan Masino had 13 points and Brian Amabilino Perez scored 11.
Game scoring honors went to Bobby Hawkinson of NYU. The 6-10 senior sored 26 point (12-22 FGs, 2-3 FTs) and grabbed 22 rebounds, 17 off the defensive glass. Hawkins had three steals and four assists. His most important assist came with 11 seconds left in regulation. He kicked the ball out to Zay Freeney at the top of the key who sank a three-pointer that tied the score at 63-all. Freeney scored nine points for NYU. Jacob Sussman had 15. He was the only other NYU player in double figures.
The game was tight throughout – five lead changes, three ties. The Violets led, 13-4 in the first five minutes and were ahead 21-16 after a trey by Sussman. Rochester used a layup from Masino and a jumper in the lane by T.C. Price to pull within 21-20. A 5-0 run at the end of the first half gave Rochester a 30-28 edge. In the second half, the teams traded runs. Drew Jackson hit a jumper in the paint and later added one of two from the line for a 38-37 UR edge after six minutes.
NYU scored nine points in less than 90 seconds: Holt Bashinsky sank a three from the right corner. Sussman sank another one, this one in front of his own bench. Then Hawkinson made a layup and added a free throw after a foul. It was 45-38 with 12:23 to go.
A layup from Bashinsky kept the NYU led at eight, 48-40, with 9:10 left. Over the next seven minutes, Rochester outscored NYU 20-7 to move in front, 60-55. Hawkinson's putback kept NYU ahead, 55-51. Trent Noordsij hit a three-pointer from right wing. The Amabilino Perez made a layup, followed by a Gang layup and then a jumper in the lane. Rochester was up, 60-55, before the Violets made a final charge. Hawkinson made another conventional three-point play, pulling NYU within 61-60. Masino sank two free throws for Rochester with less than 25 seconds left. The Freeney jumper followed, forcing OT at 63-all.
In the OT, treys from Noordsij and Gang sandwiched a Hawkinson layup (70-65 UR, 3:31 left). Sussman hit NYU's ninth triple of the game, this one from the right corner with 2:40 on the clock to get the deficit down to 70-68. Gang and Hawkinson traded layup. With 5.6 seconds left, Noordsij sank two free throws. He finished with eight points.
In the other UAA games on Friday, Carnegie Mellon upended leader Washington, 71-68, in OT. Emory defeated Brandeis, 83-75. Case Western Reserve defeated Chicago, 84-66. On Sunday, Rochester (3-3) will host Brandeis (1-2) at 11 a.m. Emory (5-1) hosts NYU (0-5). Washington (4-1) goes to Case Reserve (4-1), and Carnegie Melon (2-3) hosts Chicago (1-4).