Fort Wayne, IN (Sports Network) - Frank Gaines scored as game-high 29 points,
including the game-winning free throws with three seconds to play, as the
IUPU-Ft. Wayne Mastodons outlasted the IUPUI Jaguars in overtime, 80-79, in a
Summit League battle at Gates Sports Center.
For the Mastodons (10-13, 3-6 Summit), Luis Jacobo added 13 points, Joe
Edwards finished with 12 points, Michael Kibiloski chipped in with 10 points
and Pierre Bland dished out a game-high nine assists.
Mitchell Patton led the Jaguars (6-18, 1-9) with 25 points, Donovan Gibbs
added 17 points and seven rebounds, Greg Rice finished with 16 points and Sean
Esposito scored 10 points.
IUPUI shot very well to start the contest, connecting on 57.1 percent of its
field goal tries in the first half, including 4-of-10 from beyond the 3-point
arc, as the Jaguars took a 31-27 lead into the break. IPFW was held to just
36 percent shooting from the field in the first half, but kept the contest
close by knocking down 5-of-11 from 3-point range.
The Jaguars stayed hot in the second half, shooting 66.7 percent from the
field, but missed all but one of their five 3-point tries. The Mastodons
found their stroke after halftime, making 62.5 percent of their field goal
attempts, including a near perfect 5-of-6 from 3-point distance. After falling
down six early in the half, IPFW used a 27-6 run to build their biggest lead
at 54-39. IUPUI still trailed by 10 with under eight minutes to play but used
a 9-0 run to get back into the game. After the Jaguars tied it at 65-65 on
two free throws by Patton with 20 seconds to play in regulation, the Mastodons
had a chance to win it but a shot at the buzzer was blocked by Gibbs, sending
the match to overtime.
In the extra session, the Mastodons scored the first four points after the
tip, but the Jaguars battled back and actually led by two, 79-77, with 18
seconds left in overtime. After Edwards was fouled with eight seconds left,
he made the first free throw and missed the second, but he got his own rebound
and with just three seconds on the clock, Gaines drained two free-throws to
put the Mastodons up for good after a 3-pointer by Rice at the buzzer was off
the mark.
The Mastodons finished the contest 12-of-19 from 3-point range. The Jaguars
outscored the Mastodons in the paint, 40-26.
GAME NOTES:
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