COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College men's basketball team showed resilience as the Bears rallied back from a 12-point deficit with only four minutes to play to tie the game but eventually fell to Dickinson, 87-82, in an electric atmosphere at Helfferich Hall.
Ursinus (4-3, 2-1) mounted an incredible 12-0 comeback to knot the game at 81-81 with just over a minute to play. Before the much-needed streak of points, it looked like Dickinson's lead had stabilized as both squads traded baskets in the middle of the second half. The Red Devils had their highest lead at 14 points in a high-paced, hot-shooting affair that ended with both sides making over 50 percent of their attempts.
Senior Ryan McTamney, the Centennial's leading scorer, continued to prove his place among the elite as he scored a game-high 27 points on 12-of-16 from the floor and 3-of-5 from deep. The guard used a variety of shots, from the deep ball to the mid-range jumper to crafty moves in the paint. He registered his fifth 20-point effort of the season.
McTamney and freshman Ryan Hughes nailed back-to-back 3-pointers to spark the Bears' late-game run, which reached a crescendo when two Dickinson turnovers led to two lay-ups. Senior Zack Muredda got the first steal and found Hughes from the seat of his pants for a breakaway bucket. Junior Shane Stark collected the second steal and Hughes made another lay-up to cut the lead to 81-79. McTamney made a bucket from the post after a feed from Stark to tie the game with 1:09 remaining.
Dickinson's Elijah Wright attacked the rim, earning himself a pair of free throws on which he made both to give the Red Devils an 83-81 lead with 48 seconds to play. On the following possession, Hughes was fouled en route to the hoop and made one of two to cut it to 83-82.
The Bears were then forced to extend the game with fouls and the Red Devils made clutch free throws. Down three points, Hughes missed a contested triple to potentially tie the game.
Ursinus had its four-game winning streak snapped as Dickinson shot at a blistering clip of 57.1% (32-of-56) from the field. The Bears were right on their heels, going 54.5% (30-of-55) from the field. Both squads shredded the nets, nailing seven triples on the day.
Four Red Devils scored in double figures, led by freshman Adam Drummond with 19 points on 8-of-16 shooting. Bryce Allen (15 points), Jack Tierney (14 points) and Wright (13 points) rounded out the Red Devils' leading scorers. Wright added eight rebounds and six assists.
Aside from McTamney's outstanding performance, Stark scored 13 points with seven rebounds. Hughes added a career-high 11 points, and sophomore George Gordon infused the Bears with instant energy off the bench in the first half. Gordon netted all of his 10 points in the frame in which he shot 4-of-4 from the field.
Muredda handed out a game-high eight assists.
In the first half, it was the Red Devils who took a two-point lead, 45-43, at the break.
McTamney led the Ursinus charge with an efficient 6-of-7 shooting effort for 14 total points in the frame, 12 of which came in the first 10 minutes. Dickinson's Allen hit on all four of his shots also for a team-leading 10 points in the first half.
Despite being down a bucket after the first twenty minutes, the Bears outshot the Red Devils from the floor by going 15-of-25 (60%). Beyond the arc, the Red Devils got it working as they hit four triples, at one point making 4-of-5 from downtown. Ursinus outdid Dickinson at the free throw line (11-of-14).
After senior Eric Williams Jr. tied the game at 48 with a 3-pointer, Dickinson went on a 13-3 run to take control. Jack Tierney made the go-ahead triple and joined Drummond to account for 11 straight Red Devil points before Ryan Devine's breakaway lay-in opened up a double-digit spread with 14:19 to go. The margin fluctuated between eight and 14 until the chaotic closing stretch.
Ursinus committed 16 turnovers and Dickinson turned it over 14 times.
Ursinus takes on No. 8 Swarthmore on the Main Line Wednesday at 7 p.m.