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Leopards Remain Perfect in Overtime, Winning 69-68 at Colgate
Jan. 16, 2008
HAMILTON, N.Y. - Senior Bilal Abdullah tipped in a bucket with three seconds remaining in overtime to bring home a 69-68 Leopards' victory over Colgate on Wednesday night, their third straight at Cotterell Court. Abdullah finished with a game-high 18 points and six rebounds. Lafayette (11-6, 2-0) was up by 10 points (57-47) at 6:08 in the second half after a blocked shot by Ted Detmer led to an Andrew Brown three-pointer. Colgate (9-7, 1-1) responded with eight straight to trim the lead 57-55 at 2:51, holding Lafayette without a bucket for almost two and a half minutes. The Raiders were 5-for-6 from the line during the run. Daniel Waddy again cut the Lafayette lead to one (58-57) with a steal and layup with a just over a minute and a half remaining in regulation. Michael Gruner was fouled at halfcourt and made the first of two at the line, making it 59-57 with 38 seconds left on the clock. Kyle Roemer took an off-balance shot and Abdullah pulled down the rebound, kicking it out to Gruner in the corner. Gruner was fouled again and missed the front end of a one-and-one. Colgate inbounded with 8.6 seconds left in the game. Kendall Chones tied the game 59-59 on a drive and dish by Waddy, bringing the game into overtime. Roemer and Waddy each contributed a team-high 16 points for the Raiders. Colgate sliced Lafayette's lead to one (34-33) five minutes into the second half following a Roemer jumper from the left wing. Lafayette ripped off an eight-point run that began at 18:16 and ended with Lafayette up 40-33 at 14:13 when Paul Cummins laid in a bucket on a fast-break dish from Jeff Kari.
Chones spurred a 10-point run and a Willie Morse three with nine and half minutes remaining in regulation capped it off to put the Raiders up 46-44. Matt Betley converted two free throws and added a three-pointer to regain the lead at 9:18 (49-46). Brown sank one from behind the arc, stretching the Leopards' lead to 52-47 at 8:01. Brown finished with 13 points, including four points in the extra session, helping Lafayette to the 69-68 win. The Leopards continue Patriot League action on Saturday at Navy (8-9, 1-1) for a 7 p.m. tip-off GAME NOTES: • Lafayette has started the conference slate 2-0 for the first time since 2003-04 when the Leopards undefeated through the first round of Patriot League play at 7-0. Men's basketball technically won its first two in 2004-05 after Lehigh was forced to forfeit its Jan.12 victory after using an ineligible player for much of the season. |
