PHILADELPHIA, PA. (December 13, 2008) – Cheyney University outlasted Lincoln University, 85-78, in an overtime thriller Saturday evening in the 18th Annual Holiday Basketball Classic at Temple University's McGonigle Hall. (BOXSCORE)
Lincoln's Bryant Leach finished with a game-high 31 points and Darren Clark added 20 points. Leach, Lincoln's leading scorer, forced overtime when he sank a 19-foot jumper with two seconds remaining. That tied the game at 69-69. Lincoln had rallied from an 11-point deficit with six minutes, 33 seconds remaining. Overall, Leach was 10-for-18 from the field, 7-for-11 from the 3-point distance and 4-for-6 from the foul line. Clark was 12-for-14 from the foul line.
Damian Hyman scored 10 points. Eugene Smith (Lansdowne, PA/Penn Wood) had a monster game on the defensive end of the floor, grabbing a career high 11 rebounds and blocking a career high eight shots. As usual, Lincoln lit up from 3-point distance, finishing 14-for-36 from beyond the arc. It's the sixth time in eight games, Lincoln attempted 30 or more 3-pointers. In fact, 14 of Lincoln's 21 made baskets during the game were 3-pointers. The Lions finished with 16 assists on 21 baskets.
Cheyney, which won the rebounding battle, 55-41, never trailed in overtime. The Wolves (4-0 overall) outscored Lincoln, 16-9 to remain perfect on the season. Cheyney placed four players in double figures led by Dominique Curry's 18 points and 11 rebounds. Theodore Petty added 17 points, Tyrone Smith chipped in 16 points and Maurice McPherson collected 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Leach sank a 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining in overtime to bring the Lions (2-6) to within 79-78. Cheyney finished the game by making six straight foul shots to extend its lead in this heated series to 13-5. Trailing, 68-67 with 22 seconds remaining, Lincoln had an opportunity to take its first lead since late in the first half, but missed a pair of foul shots. Cheyney split a pair of foul shots to set the stage for Leach's heroics.
Robert Redd's 3-pointer with 9:00 remaining the first half gave Lincoln its largest advantage of the game, 21-16. However, Cheyney recovered to take a 33-29 halftime lead.
Lincoln returns to action on Saturday January 3, 2009 when it travels to face Fayetteville (NC) State University at 7:30 p.m. Cheyney will host the University of the Sciences Wednesday evening beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Cope Hall.
NOTES: For the game, Cheyney shot 39 percent (30-for-77) and Lincoln shot 33.3 percent (21-for-63). …The loss ended Lincoln's two-game winning streak. …This is Lincoln's only game in a 34-day period and only one in the month of December. …This is the fourth time in 18 years Lincoln and Cheyney have gone to overtime. … Cheyney is 3-1 in overtime against Lincoln since 1991. ...Leach has scored 30 or more points twice this season (32 against Pfeiffer on Nov. 16, 2008).
--LU--
