Box Score RIVER FOREST, Ill. – Take note, basketball fans. There will be no such thing as an easy road win in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference this year. The Edgewood College men's basketball team discovered how hard it's going to be, trailing for all but 43 seconds of regulation time, but still pulling out a 77-71 overtime victory over Concordia University Chicago.
Dylan Rusch made two free throws with three seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime.
Edgewood College (5-2, 3-1 NACC) led only twice in regulation play and both leads came early in the first half. The Eagles led 4-3 after a layup by Joe Klocek, and again with 16:29 to go in the first half on a three-point basket by Brett Meinecke that made the score 8-5. Concordia University Chicago (2-5, 0-4 NACC) led by as many as 15 at 32-17 with five minutes left in the first half, but the Eagles scored the final seven points of the half, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Klocek to cut the Cougars' lead to 38-32.
The struggle to come back continued in the second half. The Eagles trailed 48-37 when Matt Savatski hit a pair of three-point baskets to spark a 12-2 run and bring the Eagles within a point at 50-49. Still, the Eagles couldn't get over the top as Concordia University Chicago scored six straight points for a 56-49 lead with 4:24 left to play. Edgewood College got their chance to close the gap at the free throw line. After a Rusch three-pointer, he and Trevor Neale converted two free throws each and the Eagles were back in business at 57-56 with 2:16 to go.
The Cougars still led 59-56 heading in the final minute. Edgewood College missed three three-point attempts and called two timeouts on the same possession. Finally, on the third miss, Klocek grabbed the rebound and stuck a jump shot with 14 seconds to go. The Eagles fouled Concordia Chicago's Mike Walmer who made just one of two free throws to give Edgewood College a chance with 12 seconds to go. On the next possession, Rusch was fouled by Walmer with three seconds left. He calmly drilled both free throws for a 60-60 tie and the Eagles' first overtime game of the season.
Down 62-60, Neale gave the Eagles their first lead in 37 minutes and 29 seconds with a three-point play off an offensive rebound. Edgewood College wouldn't surrender the lead again. Tal Diekvoss provided the dagger with a three-point basket to give the Eagles a 70-65 lead with 1:32 to go. From there, the Eagles went 7-for-8 at the free throw line, including the final four by Rusch to escape with their first road victory of the season.
Rusch finished with a season-high 20 points, including a 10-for-11 effort at the free throw line. Klocek finished with 17 points, marking his fifth game scoring in double figures this season, as well as eight rebounds. Neale came off the bench to post a season-high 11 points and a career-high eight rebounds in just 13 minutes of playing time. Savatski added 10 points for the first double digit scoring game in his Eagle career. Edgewood College crushed the Cougars on the glass, outrebounding them 56-36.
The Cougars were led by Nat Pearson who went 10-for-20 from the field and scored 21 points. Brandon Stinson and Justin Saar added 15 and 13 respectively, while Stinson had a game-high eight assists.
Edgewood College will test the waters on the road in their next game, when they travel to Marian University on Wednesday night. The Sabres are the last remaining unbeaten team in NACC play after defeating Rockford University to improve to 4-0 on the season. Game time from Sadoff Gymnasium is 7:00 p.m.
