Cougars Fall in Overtime to WPU, 77-73

WAYNE, N.J. - The William Paterson University men's basketball tied the game with no time left on the clock in regulation and went on to defeat visiting Kean University, 77-73 in overtime, on Saturday afternoon at the WPU Rec Center.

For the Puonners (13-7, 4-4), senior Luis Martinez (Passaic, N.J.) had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds and hit a pair of free throws with no time on the clock in regulation to force overtime. Kean (12-8, 3-5) was led by guard Lamar Wright (Galloway, N.J.) who finished with a game-high 24 points, including 9-of-9 from the charity stripe.

The Pioneers trailed by as many as 10 points, 51-41 with 12:43 left in the game, however the Cougars were whistled for six fouls over the next 4:27 as the Pioneers cut the deficit to one point at 54-53.

Kean pushed their lead back to seven points, 60-53, with just under four minutes remaining in the game, but the Pioneers scored 10 of the next 13 points to tie the score at 63-63 o a three-point play by Da-Shawn Dwight (Newark, N.J.) with just 70 seconds remaining. Kean senior guard Bryan Keller (Piscataway. N.J.) converted a layup with 49.1 seconds to play gave the Cougars the lead, but he missed the free throw after being fouled, making it a two-point edge at 65-63.

On the Pioneer's next possession, freshman Joseph Ellis (Newark, N.J.) drained a three-pointer from the top of the key to nudge William Paterson ahead at 66-65 with 29 seconds left. The Cougars brought the ball upcourt, lost the handle, but it trickled to the low post and a waiting Steve Koenigstein (Toms River, N.J.), who laid it in and was fouled with 17 seconds left. His free throw made it a two-point lead for the Cougars at 68-66.

William Paterson had one last chance, and as time expired the Cougars were whistled for a foul. Senior Luis Martinez (Passaic, N.J.) stepped to the line with 0:00 on the clock, calmly making both attempts to send the two teams to overtime.

The Cougars struck first in overtime on a Wyatt layup in the overtime's opening seconds, but WPU never trailed again in the extra session. After an Ellis free throw and a Martinez layup made it a three-point edge at 74-71 with less than two minutes left, Keller again cut into the lead, making two free throws to trim the deficit to 74-73. The Pioneers made 3-of-4 free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

For the Cougars, senior guard Bryan Keller (Piscataway, N.J.) had 18 points, six steals and three assists, while Koenigstein chipped in with a season-high 13 points and seven rebounds.

Ellis led the Pioneers with his season-high 17 points and three steals.

The Cougars return home to face NJAC South Division rival The College of New Jersey on Wednesday, January 31. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m.