After fighting a tightly contested game for 50 minutes, the Seattle University Men’s basketball team fell in double overtime to the New Mexico State Aggies, 83-82. Neither team was able to take control of the game until late, when the Aggies made the most of a few key plays to see off the Redhawks at Key Arena.
With the game nearing the end of regulation, it took a Clarence Trent three pointer with 39 seconds to play to give the Redhawks a one point lead. On the ensuing inbounds play, the Aggies looked as if they may have thrown the game away, giving the ball back to the Redhawks and sending them to the line. After 2 made free throws by D’Vonne Pickett, the Hawks had a three point lead with 31 seconds to play.
A step back three pointer with seven seconds to play took the air out of Key Arena, tying the game and sending it into a first overtime. The shot shifted momentum back to the Aggies, who took the opportunity to push to a six point lead with just a minute to play seconds to play.
[It’s] the same problem we’ve been having down the stretch, just closing it out. The last possession we gave them a couple of chances and they found a way to knock it down,” said Head Coach Cameron Dollar, “You obviously hate to keep losing these like this but we have to do a better job of the details and finishing games.
Prince Obasi cut the lead to three on a dunk from a Trent assist, and the second of a pair of free throws with 31 seconds to play. After another turnover by the Aggies, the Redhawks got two opportunities to tie the game, with Chad Rasmussen’s first attempt at a tying three rebounded by the Redhawks, setting up the tying three pointer on Rasmussen’s second try.
A third late turnover gave the Redhawks a chance at the horn, but Prince Obasi wasn’t able to convert the jumper and the game headed to a second overtime.
The second overtime started much like the first, with the Aggies starting quickly after the break, stretching to a 5 point lead they maintained for much of the period. Another Rasmussen 3-pointer cut the lead to two again, but the Hawks weren’t able to prolong the game after a free throw by Bandja Sy put the Aggies up by three.
Throughout the game, the score was tied 15 times and there were 14 lead changes, evidence of the see-saw battle that saw neither team capture the momentum and take control of the game.
“It’s frustrating because we’re beating ourselves most of the time, and its not so much at the end of games,” said Rasmussen, “Like coach says, there are plays during the game that if we would have done then with nine minutes to go the result could have ended up different. There are situations in the games like box outs or charges that we could handle better.”
Louis Green, Obasi, and Trent led the Redhawks with 15 points each, while Prince Obasi snatched 11 rebounds to Trent’s 10. Chad Rasmussen was the next highest scorer with nine points, despite a tough shooting night, especially early on. The Aggies saw less dispersed scoring, with three players accounting for 82 percent of New Mexico State’s scoring, including a career night for Tyrone Watson, who put in 26 points on 10-18 shooting.
A loss to Denver on Saturday, January 12 saw the Redhawks drop to 0-5 in WAC play, despite a number of close games that could have gone the Redhawks way. The Redhawks look to get off the mark at UT Arlington on January 17, before heading to Louisiana Tech on Saturday.
Kevin may be reached at [email protected]
