DARTMOUTH, MASS. – Sophomore Tom Johnson (Warner, N.H.) led Plymouth State University with 15 points, but the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth used a 6-3 run over the final two minutes to snap a 61-61 tie and squeak past the Panthers, 67-64, in a Little East Conference (LEC) men's basketball game at Tripp Athletic Center on Wednesday night.
 
Johnson got out to a hot start, scoring all 15 of his points in the first half, as the Panthers led by one, 40-39, at the break. The Corsairs used an 11-0 spurt to take a ten-point lead in the second half, but Plymouth State rallied to knot the score at 61-61 with 2:02 left on the clock.
 
UMD went ahead with a layup and two free throws with eight seconds remaining, but sophomore Giorgi Tsiklauri (Brooklyn, N.Y.) nailed a triple to cut the deficit to 65-64 with under two seconds to play. PSU quickly fouled, but the Corsairs sank both from the line and the Panthers were unable to get a game-tying shot attempt off before the final buzzer.
 
Plymouth State drops to 0-1 (0-1 LEC), while UMass Dartmouth improves to 2-0 (2-0 LEC).
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 64, UMass Dartmouth 67
  • Plymouth State (0-1, 0-1 LEC)
  • UMass Dartmouth (2-0, 2-0 LEC)

Top Performers:

• Plymouth State
  • Tom Johnson (15 pts, 3-5 3-pt)
  • Giorgi Tsiklauri (14 pts, 3-3 3-pt, 6 reb)
• UMass Dartmouth
  • Jake Ashworth (16 pts)
  • Marcus Azor (14 pts, 7 asst, 5 reb)

How it Happened:

• Junior Dante Rivera (Methuen, Mass.) nailed a transition three to give PSU its first lead, 9-7, and Johnson drained a straight-on triple to extend the margin after four minutes of action.
• The Panthers held the lead for the next 12 minutes, going up by as many as eight, but Azor's put back and free throw squared things at 32-32 and the Corsairs went up on Ashworth's three on the next possession.
• Tsiklauri connected from beyond the arc on back-to-back possessions to cut the margin to 39-38 at the two-minute mark, and junior Manny Alisandro (Manchester, N.H.) scored from inside for a 40-39 lead at the intermission.
• The teams traded the lead over the first five minutes of the second half, until UMD's 11-0 surge gave the hosts a 60-50 advantage with 7:41 left to go.
• The Panthers chipped away until junior Manny Sanchez (Lawrence, Mass.) pulled PSU even, 61-61, with a breakaway layup with just over two minutes remaining.
• UMass Dartmouth went back ahead with a tough interior bucket, then forced a turnover. With time running down, Ashworth missed from long range, but the hosts came up with a clutch offensive rebound and Ashworth drained a pair from the charity stripe.
• Tsiklauri buried a three from the left wing with just under two seconds to go, cutting the margin to 65-64. PSU quickly fouled, but Ashworth was solid from the line again and the Panthers couldn't get a shot attempt off before the final second ticked off the clock.

By the Numbers:

• Rivera added 14 points, while Sanchez contributed eight points and four rebounds.
• Freshman Kyler Bosse (Manchester, N.H.) chipped in with seven points, six boards and a team-high four assists in his debut.
• UMD held a narrow 38-37 advantage on the glass.
• The two teams had alternated wins and losses in their last six meetings in Dartmouth. The Corsairs hold a slight 11-9 advantage over the last 20 matchups between the two schools dating back to 2012.

Up Next:

• The Panthers head to in-state rival Keene State on Saturday (Feb. 6) for a 1:00 p.m. clash with the Owls.