GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – A crucial Northeast-10 Conference matchup turned into a highly entertaining basketball game, as the Pace University men's basketball team and Adelphi University went to double overtime at the Center for Recreation and Sport on Saturday. The Panthers used a 12-3 advantage in the second extra period to pick up the 73-64 victory over the Setters. Pace falls to 5-8 overall and 3-3 in NE-10 play with the loss, while Adelphi improves to 11-2 on the year and holds on to second place in the Southwest Division at 4-2 in NE-10 action.
Late in the second half, Adelphi's Michael Coffey drained a three to put the home team up, 51-48. Freshman forward
Ryan Peterson (Wethersfield, CT/St. Thomas More) responded on Pace's next possession with a big three to tie the game at 51. Neither squad was able to make a basket in the final 2:48 as both teams locked down defensively, sending the game to overtime.
Senior forward
Kyle Pearson (Woodbridge, NJ/Woodbridge / Fairleigh Dickinson University) kicked things off in the extra frame with a short jumper to give Pace a two-point lead. Anthony Libroia then went to the line on back-to-back possessions for the Panthers, making all four chances to take the lead. Sophomore forward
Victor Jusino (Morris Plains, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) then worked in a layup, tying the game once again. Adelphi's Tavon Ginyard then hit a vital three to put the pressure back on the Setters. Senior guard
Shelton Mickell (Queens, NY/Cardozo / Central Connecticut State) missed from three, and Ryan DeNicola was able to make a jumper to leave Pace down by five with 56 seconds on the clock.
After Ginyard missed the front end of a one-and-one, Pearson was able to hit a difficult three with a hand in his face to get Pace back within two. Libroia then went back to the line, where he missed his second chance and gave the Setters one final opportunity, trailing by three.
Pearson tried to tie the game with a three, but he was unable to make it go. Freshman forward
Luke McLaughlin (Blauvelt, NY/Tappan Zee) showed spectacular effort to climb over multiple defenders and swat the ball back to Mickell with under 10 remaining. Mickell fired from way downtown, and drained an impossible trey to force another overtime.
Unfortunately, the Setters were unable to keep the magic going, as the Panthers scored the first seven points of double overtime. A jumper by Pearson, followed by a free throw by Mickell cut the deficit back down to four, but another big three for Ginyard all-but closed it out. Libroia finished things off with a pair of foul shots, giving the home team a nine-point victory in one of the more thrilling NE-10 matchups of the 2015-16 campaign.
Pearson registered a double-double on the afternoon with 20 points and 13 rebounds, both good for game-highs. Peterson shook off a slow start to earn a double-double of his own with 10 points and 10 boards. Mickell turned in eight points, none bigger than his three to tie in overtime, adding 11 rebounds as well.
DeNicola picked up a double-double for Adelphi with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Libroia tallied 18 points, nine boards and seven assists.
The Setters held a significant advantage on the boards, outrebounding their hosts, 58-42. An 18-5 edge in offensive rebounds led the Setters to an impressive 20-0 lead in second-chance points. They also outscored the Panthers, 28-18, in the paint.
Pace will finally return home on Monday, Jan. 4, when they host New York Institute of Technology in non-conference action at the Goldstein Fitness Center. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
For all information regarding Pace University men's basketball log on to
www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace men's basketball on Twitter (
@PaceMBB).
