MONMOUTH, Ore. – With both teams enjoying decent-sized leads for part of the game, it would all come down to the extra session and a few plays to decide a winner. After the teams played into overtime, Simon Fraser was able to hold on and defeat the Western Oregon University men's basketball team by a score of 75-73 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action Tuesday inside New PE Gym.
WOU (3-13, 2-6 GNAC) held a lead of 11 in the first half and then Simon Fraser (9-6, 4-3 GNAC) took a six-point lead midway through the second half. Right after SFU moved in front 50-44, the Wolves responded with Zach Moore scoring six straight points. The freshman hit three straight free throws and then dialed long distance off the wing to even the score at 50.
The teams traded small leads before a dunk by Yosani Clay helped start an 8-0 run. Cameron Cranston added two from the line, and after Daisone Hughes hit a jumper, Cranston capped the run with a layup at the 5:24 mark that had the Wolves with a 60-54 lead.
Simon Fraser responded with a 6-0 run to tie the game at 60 with three minutes to play. After that, each possession was crucial and the teams played like it. Qiant Myers responded with a big drive for a layup to move WOU back in front at 62-60. SFU turned to Wilfried Balata who put together a big second half and he hit a tough jumper in the paint to tie the game at 62.
Cranston came through with a big three-pointer on the next trip down the floor for the Wolves to push the lead to 65-62 with 1:29 to play. Simon Fraser answered with their own three-pointer when Elliot Dimaculangan hit a corner three that almost rolled out to tie the game again at 65.
Hughes drove on the next WOU possession and was fouled. He converted both foul shots to move WOU back in front at 67-65 with 45 seconds to play. Simon Fraser turned once again to Balata and he delivered with a jumper in the paint to tie the game at 67 with 18 seconds to play.
WOU brought the ball up and had a chance to go for the win, but the three-point attempt at the buzzer fell short sending the game into overtime.
SFU tallied the first points in the extra session 32 seconds in with free throws by Jordan Lyons. Cranston tied it with two free throws of his own with three minutes to play. Then a couple of key possessions helped swing the game in Simon Fraser's favor. Balata took a handoff from Julian Roche on the wing and hit the three-pointer to move SFU out to a three-point lead. After WOU missed on a layup, Simon Fraser pushed the lead to five when David Penney drove down the lane with the shot clock ticking down to hit the shot and a 74-69 lead.
The Wolves came right back with Hughes hitting two from the line. The defense then held with John Morrill-Keeler coming away with a steal. WOU went with a three-point attempt and a tie, but the shot missed and Simon Fraser controlled the rebound with around a minute to play. Hughes continued to pressure Penney and forced a turnover. WOU again had a look at a three-pointer to tie, but the shot missed and was rebounded by SFU with 29 seconds left. Just like earlier, another tough pressure by Hughes forced a turnover by Penney leaving 21 seconds on the clock and SFU still holding a 74-71 lead.
WOU again had another look at a tying three-pointer, but just missed and Simon Fraser secured the rebound. The Wolves were forced to foul sending Penney to the line. He would hit one of two to move the lead out to four with eight seconds to play.
The Wolves pushed the ball and Hughes got a layup with three seconds left to cut the lead to two. Forced to foul again, WOU sent Jahmal Wright to the line. He would miss both and Cranston grabbed the rebound and called timeout with 0.7 seconds left.
Having to go the length of the floor, WOU tried to throw a deep pass to Cranston, but the ball was tipped by Roche and the clock expired before Cranston was able to get the shot off leaving Simon Fraser with the 75-73 victory.
Clay led the Wolves with a double-double tallying 17 points and three rebounds, along with four assists. Cranston played all 45 minutes, tallying 15 points, five rebounds, two steals and both a block and assist. Hughes had a big game off the bench playing 30 minutes, coming away with 14 points, four rebounds and two assists. Morrill-Keeler and Moore added 10 points apiece. WOU went 26-74 (35.1) from the field, 5-24 (20.8) from three and 16-18 (88.9) at the foul line. The Wolves held advantages on points off turnovers (11-9), second chance points (13-11), bench points (28-23) and fastbreak points (13-4).
Roche tallied a double-double for Simon Fraser with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Balata collected 18 points and six rebounds. Lyons reached double-figures with 10 points and seven rebounds. Simon Fraser went 29-61 (47.5) from the field, 8-23 (34.8) from three and 9-15 (60) at the foul line. The game featured 10 ties and three lead changes.
WOU continues the homestand facing Seattle Pacific this Thursday night starting at 7 p.m. inside New PE Gym. The Wolves will close the four-game home set on Saturday against Montana State Billings at 4:15 p.m.
