BIDDEFORD, Maine – After trailing throughout overtime, the Roger Williams University Men's Basketball team scored on the final possession to outlast the University of New England Saturday afternoon 79-78 in overtime.
 
Hawk Highlights
Drew Hart: 31 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block
Will MacDonald: 12 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Mac Annus: 12 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
John Ah Kao: 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
 
For The Opponents
Alex Kravchuk: 29 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals
Drake Gavin: 22 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist
Michael Quinn: 9 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block
 
How It Happened
The game was close throughout the night, as both teams combined for 18 ties and 15 lead changes. Three lead changes occurred in the first three minutes of play. Will MacDonald (York, Maine) knocked down back-to-back threes to give RWU an 8-5 lead early on. Roger Williams would hold on to the lead for the early part of the first half until Michael Quinn (Mendon, Mass.) sank a shot to put the Nor'Easters up 21-19. That basket would allow UNE to maintain the lead the rest of the half. The Nor'Easters led by as many as eight in the period before the Hawks came back and made it a two-point game (36-38) going into halftime.
 
UNE's lead would not last long in the second half, as Mac Annus (Belmont, Mass.) dropped in a layup to put RWU back up 42-41. Ric Castillo (Methuen, Mass.) later gave UNE the lead with a trey to make it 46-44 with 14:49 left. In total, there would be ten lead changes in the second half. Roger Williams actually held a four-point lead with 1:35 left to play, but Alex Kravchuk (Mansfield, Conn.) had the game-tying layup on the final UNE possession with eight seconds left. Annus missed the game-winning three-point attempt to send the game into overtime.
 
Kravchuk had the first points of the extra period, and UNE managed to hold on to their one-possession lead for most of overtime. However, MacDonald gave Roger Williams the first lead of overtime with the game-winning jump shot in the closing seconds of the extra period. UNE was unable to get a shot off on their final possession as RWU escaped with the win.
 
What's Next
Roger Williams (7-4, 4-2 CCC): Monday, January 17 vs. Gordon @ 7:30pm
University of New England (2-12, 1-6 CCC): Monday, January 17 vs. Salve Regina @ 7:00pm