Keller's Free Throws Lift Cougars, 74-73, in
Overtime
ITHACA, N.Y. (12/15/06) - Senior guard Bryan Keller (Piscataway,
N.J.) knocked down a pair of free throws with one second left in
overtime to lift Kean University to a 74-73 victory over host
Ithaca College in non-conference men's basketball action on Friday
evening.
Trailing 73-70 following a pair of free throws by Ithaca's Sean
Burton with 27 seconds left, Kean senior guard Lamar Wright
(Galloway, N.J.) hit a layup with 15 seconds left in overtime to
cut the deficit to one. Keller made a steal and was fouled with
just one second left, and the senior converted both free throw
attempts to give the Cougars (8-1) the one-point victory.
Ithaca (4-4) was paced by center Jeff Bostic who had 17 points, 15
rebounds and three steals.
The Cougars took their largest lead of the first half at 17-10, as
senior forward Steve Koenigstein (Toms River, N.J.) knocked down a
three-pointer with 10:46 left in the opening half. The Bombers
outscored the Cougars 21-11 the rest of the half to take a
three-point lead into intermission at 31-28. Wright and Koenigstein
paced the Cougars in the first half with six points and five
points, respectively.
In a second half that featured five lead changes and four ties, the
Cougars led by five points with just under two minutes remaining
before Bostic had a lay-up and Dominic Scanlon hit a three-pointer
with one second left in regulation to force overtime.
The Cougars took control early in overtime, building a four-point
lead at 70-66 on back-to-back layups by Wright. Ithaca answered
with seven straight points to take the three-point lead with less
than 30 seconds left before the Cougars scored the final four
points of the game to steal the victory.
Wright finished with a double-double, as he had 16 points and 10
rebounds to go alongwith five assists and four steals. Keller added
15 points and two steals, while junior Will Floyd (Eustis, Fla.)
added nine points off the bench.
The Cougars travel to Wilkes University on Tuesday, December 19, in
their final game of 2006. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.
