ALLENTOWN, Pa. – In one of the longest games in Centennial Conference history, the Ursinus College men's basketball team added an epic installment to its storied history, outlasting Muhlenberg 99-97 in triple overtime to remain in first place.
Junior Remi Janicot knocked down two clutch free throws with 3 seconds remaining in the third extra session and the Bears (10-6, 7-2) survived a heave from beyond half-court to improve to 5-0 in conference road games and stretch their winning streak to four.
Wednesday's unforgettable thriller was only the third triple-overtime affair between two CC foes, and just the third in Ursinus history; the Bears posted a 124-117 win over Rhode Island College in 2004, and claimed a 100-98 victory over Muhlenberg in 1966. This one, more than half a century later, had a bit of everything.
Sophomore Eric Williams Jr. hit a career-high nine 3-pointers – one shy of the CC single-game record – on the way to a season-best 29 points for Ursinus, which drilled 17 triples to fall one short of its own CC mark set in that triple-overtime fracas in 2004. Junior Zach Quattro racked up 21 points, including two pressure-packed free throws with 1.2 seconds left in the second overtime, and Janicot scored 13 of his 15 at the free-throw line. Senior co-captain Matt Knowles shook off a rough shooting night to can the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute of the third overtime, but it was Eric Williams who kept the visitors in a position to steal a last-gasp result with a number of crucial triples after regulation.
The Bears found themselves in a four-point hole in triple overtime until Williams connected on an NBA-range 3-pointer from the right wing. Muhlenberg (8-6, 4-5) went back ahead by three, but the sharp-shooter's ninth and final bomb pulled Ursinus into a 92-92 deadlock with 2:10 to play.
Janicot and Jon Schreer traded free throws to keep the game level before the junior made one of many winning plays for both sides, this time crashing the glass for an offensive rebound and somehow sneaking a pass between two Mule defenders to Knowles on the left wing. The senior came through with 37 seconds left, but fouled Schreer behind the arc on the other end. Muhlenberg's senior hit all three foul shots for the 11th tie of the night.
With Ursinus holding for a last shot, Janicot rose up for a potential game-winning 3 from the right corner. It was long, but a Mule knocked him down on the release, sending Janicot to the line with a chance to win. He did just that, swishing the first two for the pivotal points. The third was off, but Muhlenberg's shot from well beyond mid-court was off the mark as the Bears escaped Memorial Hall with just their second victory in their last ten meetings with the Mules.
Quattro's free throws in the second overtime came with a good deal more pressure. Ursinus trailed 86-84 when Williams misfired on a 3-pointer, but Quattro rose up for the rebound and got fouled with 1.2 ticks left. Calm as can be, he swished both to send the game to a third extra period.
Ursinus had to work overtime just to get the game to, well, overtime. The Bears trailed 20-6 midway through the first half and were still down double digits with just over 9 minutes left. Ursinus finally wrested the upper hand back on two Knowles free throws with 5:02 remaining. Quattro's jumper put the Bears up 68-66 with 1:28 to go, but two free throws by Brandon Larose tied it again and necessitated overtime. Little did the teams know they were just getting started.
Larose led all scorers with 28 points and added 10 rebounds for the Mules, who placed four other sin double figures.
Junior Brian Rafferty had a strong all-around night with eight points, six rebounds, and six assists. He is now one assist shy of becoming the sixth player in program history with 300 for his career, a mark reached by only 16 other CC players.
Williams' nine 3-pointers trail only the 10 put up by Dennis Stanton in CC history; Stanton, the third-leading scorer in league lore, did so twice in 2004. All 18 of the sophomore's field-goal attempts were from beyond the arc. Janicot was 13 for 15 at the line, adding six rebounds and five assists to his line, and Knowles put up eight boards and five assists to help overcome a 3-for-15 effort from the floor.
The men's basketball team has a few days to recover before heading to McDaniel for a CC contest on Saturday.