FITCHBURG, Mass. – Senior forward Kyle Gibson's (Franklin, Mass.) game-winning layup with 3.6 seconds remaining in overtime lifted the visiting Bridgewater State University men's basketball team to a dramatic 58-56 victory over Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) rival Fitchburg State University on Tuesday night.
The Bears improve to 11-6 on the season and 4-1 in the MASCAC, while the host Falcons fall to 11-5 overall and 3-1 in conference play.
Senior forward Michael Lofton (Mansfield, Mass.) paced the Bears with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Gibson finished with ten points and ten boards to record this first double-double of the season.
The opening half started as a back and forth affair, with neither team leading by more than one possession for the first 13 minutes of the stanza. The Falcons took their largest lead of the half with 11:48 remaining when Givaughn Jones knocked down a jumper to give the hosts a 17-14 advantage.
The Bears responded with a 10-0 run, ignited by newcomer Rocky DeAndrade's (Mansfield, Mass.) five points to give the visitors a 24-17 lead. Behind 52% shooting from the field, Bridgewater State would take a 34-21 lead into halftime.
The visitors opened the second half with a Lofton layup, giving the Bears their largest lead of the night at 15 points. Later in the period, a Justin Clark (Yarmouth Port, Mass.) layup put BSU on top, 42-28. The Falcons, however, broke through with an 11-2 run, highlighted by three-pointers from Jones and Anthony Muccioli to cut the deficit to 44-41.
The visitors would bring their lead back up to nine with a layup from Lofton with 8:24 left. But the Green and Gold responded with a valiant comeback, tying the game with 2:22 remaining on a Kwame Lee layup. Lofton and Lee would trade baskets in the final two minutes to bring the score to 54-54 and force overtime.
The extra frame was a defensive showcase, as free throws by BSU senior guard Barrett Murphy (Marshfield, Mass.) and Muccioli stood as the only points for most of the extra period. After a missed three, the Bears were able to break down court, with Gibson sinking the winning layup with just 3.6 seconds showing on the clock. The Falcons were unable to get off a final shot, giving Bridgewater State the 58-56 overtime victory.
Muccioli led the Falcons offensively with a game high 16 points, with Jones tallying 11 and sophomore Troy Dacosta finishing with a career high 10 points in his first collegiate start.
In a game that featured seven ties and six lead changes, each team connected on 24 field goals including four three-pointers apiece. The Bears finished 6-for-11 from the free throw line, while the Falcons went 4-for-6. Bridgewater held a 16-7 advantage in points off turnovers as well as a 17-6 edge in second chance points.
The MASCAC schedule resumes for both teams on Saturday afternoon at three. The Falcons take on Worcester State University at Assumption College, while the Bears travel to Salem State University.
Notes: With his 15 points, Lofton moved into 13th place on the Bears' all-time scoring list. He now has 1,284 points in four seasons at Bridgewater State....BSU is 3-1 in overtime games this season.