PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Pedro Perry's (New London) three-point field goal with 2.2 seconds left in regulation forced overtime and his fifth three-pointer of the game with six seconds left in the extra five-minute session gave the Eastern Connecticut State University men's basketball team its only lead of the game and its first Little East Conference victory, 72-71, over Plymouth State University Saturday afternoon at Foley Gymnasium.
Eastern (4-12, 1-6 LEC) trailed by as many as 12 before tying the game for the second time on Perry's three-pointer in the final seconds of regulation. The Warriors then trailed by four with 38 seconds left in overtime, but Perry sank a three-pointer with 18 seconds left to make it a one-point game, then drained the game-winner from the right side after Eastern moved the ball the length of the court after inbounding with 14.6 seconds left.
Missed free throws by Plymouth set up both Perry's tying and winning three-pointers. With the Panthers leading by two, 59-57, with 12 seconds left in regulation, a lane violation negated the first of two free throws by Plymouth (5-11, 1-6 LEC) sophomore Torran Bosworth, and allowed Perry's shot from distance to force overtime.
With the Panthers leading by one, 70-69, with 14.6 seconds left in overtime, Plymouth senior Kyler Bosse missed the first of two shots following a timeout before sinking the second to make it 71-69. The ensuing inbounds pass went to Perry, who set up on the right side of the arc, and facing little Plymouth pressure, squared himself and smoothly launched what proved to be the game-winning three-pointer.
Following a timeout, Plymouth's Bosse inbounded to freshman guard Eli Pockette, who quickly moved the ball the length of the court, and cut toward the foul line, but his uncontested left-handed jumper drew air as time expired.
The Warriors trailed by eight, 55-47, before ending regulation on a 13-5 run that netted them their second tie of the game – first of the second half. Twelve of the points in that final thrust came on three-pointers – ironically since the Warriors missed all 11 of their attempts from behind the arc. Senior guard Cade Ensinger (Deep River) swished two of those three-pointers and first-year guard Cedrick Similien (Norwich) one prior to Perry's game-tying shot from distance. Similien also had a free throw following a steal by sophomore guard Dominick Dow (Terryville) that made it 59-57 with 18 seconds left.
Perry had all of his points in the second half, finishing with a career-high 23 points and grabbed five rebounds. In five first-half minutes off the bench, he was 0-of-2 from the floor (both two-pointers). The six-footer was 9-of-16 from the floor in the game, including 5-of-7 from distance. Dao had 11 points and eight rebounds before committing his fifth foul that set up Bosse's free throws with 14 seconds left. Similien (four steals), Ensinger and sophomore forward Jalen Hamblin (West Hartford) all finished with ten, with Hamblin grabbing 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Junior guard Ty Calloway (Enfield) added eight rebounds along with six points.
The Warriors converted nine of 19 three-point attempts after halftime.
In addition to its first LEC win, the victory was also the first of the year for Eastern after six losses on its opponent's home court. Of its last five losses for Plymouth, four have come by one point and the other by two. The win was Eastern's fourth straight over Plymouth and was the first one-point verdict by either team in the series since Eastern won, 59-58, at home in the 2011 LEC tournament. The team's had last played to a one-point decision at Plymouth in the Panthers' 52-51 win in 2006.
Eastern hosts Rhode Island College Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a conference game.