PLYMOUTH, N.H. – The Plymouth State University men's basketball team defeated Rhode Island College, 78-75, in overtime in a Little East Conference (LEC) game at Foley Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
Both teams had plenty to play for as the Anchormen were looking to secure a playoff spot, while Plymouth State, on
Senior Day, looked to send the senior class out in style by playing the role of spoilers.
In his final career game, graduate student
Tom Johnson (Warner, N.H.) erupted for 30 points to lead all scorers, while junior
Christian Barr (Henniker, N.H.) notched a double-double and pulled down a key offensive rebound to secure the win. Senior
Giorgi Tsiklauri (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who intends to return next winter, rounded out the top PSU scorers with 14 points, including the go-ahead layup in overtime.
Prior to the game Plymouth State honored Johnson,
Sean Menard (Chichester, N.H.) and alumnus
Manny Sanchez in a
Senior Day tribute.
Plymouth State ends the year at 10-15 (3-13 LEC), while the Anchormen fall to 8-16 and 6-10 in the LEC, missing the playoffs by one game.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 78, Rhode Island College 75 (OT)
- Plymouth State (10-15, 3-13 LEC)
- Rhode Island College (8-16, 6-10 LEC)
Top Performers:
How it Happened:
- Plymouth State used a 6-0 spurt to take a 12-5 lead at the 12:33 mark of the first half.
- RIC pulled even at 15-15 with eight minutes on the clock.
- Back-to-back three-pointers gave the Panthers a 25-21 lead with just over four minutes before halftime.
- The Anchormen took a narrow 34-31 lead into the locker room with a layup as time expired.
- PSU opened the second half on a 10-3 run over the first four minutes to go up 41-37.
- The visitors used a 12-2 surge of their own to leapfrog back in front, 55-52, with 8:35 remaining.
- Plymouth State answered back with a 13-2 burst to lead 65-57 with under five minutes left in regulation.
- The visitors pulled to within one, 67-66, on a triple with 1:32 remaining, but Barr's layup restored the three-point edge.
- RIC got to the basket to trail by one and the visitors had a chance for the win with a pair of free throws with just 0.4 left on the clock, but were only able to convert one-of-two to force overtime.
- Tsiklauri scored a layup and was fouled to give PSU a 77-75 lead with 2.5 seconds left in the extra frame. Though he missed the free throw, Barr came away with a clutch offensive rebound.
- He was immediately fouled and drained one-of-two to make it a three-point margin, 78-75, with 1.1 seconds remaining.
- RIC's halfcourt heave was off the mark, securing the win for the Panthers.
By the Numbers:
- Plymouth State went 31-of-65 (47.7%) from the floor, and 7-of-26 (26.9%) from three.
- The Panthers held a 40-38 edge on the glass. Both teams pulled down 14 offensive rebounds.
- Bench points went in RIC's favor, 21-14.
- Plymouth State scored 15 fastbreak points, to RIC's nine.
- Each team scored 32 points in the paint and had 13 second chance points.
- PSU earned the season split. The teams are 7-7 in head-to-head matchups over the last eight seasons.
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