CU's Alex Tiefenthaler posted a game-high 27 points in an overtime loss to EOU on Friday.
Mountaineers Outlast Cavaliers in Overtime
PORTLAND, Ore. –After a back and forth contest on the first half, Concordia and Eastern Oregon split hot streaks in the second to send the game to overtime where the visiting Mountaineers grabbed an 89-84 victory in men’s basketball action on Friday night.
With the win, Eastern Oregon improved to 18-5 on the year and 11-4 in the Cascade Collegiate Conference. Concordia dropped to 7-17 overall and 2-13 in league play.
Neither team could generate more than a three-point lead through the first 20 minutes of play. After the sixth tie of the period, a three by CU’s Dustin Hiebert gave the Cavs a 38-35 lead with a minute to play in the half. The two teams would trade baskets in the final possessions to give CU a slim 40-37 at the break.
The final spark of the first half would continue in the second with CU posting a 9-1 run to start play in the second to take an 11-point lead. Capped by back-to-back threes, EOU would post eight unanswered to cut the deficit to three with 15 minutes to play but would find trouble making it over the final hump.
Cutting the advantage to a single point on three occasions, EOU would allow the Cavs to break away with four minutes to play with Steven Vaughan and Sergio Rosario connecting on four straight baskets. With the score 74- 65 with 3:44 to play, the Mountaineers would hold the Cavs without a point the rest of regulation and get the tying basket on a free throw by Neil Fryer with 1:34 to play.
Three turnovers down the stretch limited the squads to just a solo attempt in the final 90 seconds, a Kris Groce jumper with two seconds to play which sailed harmlessly wide.
After only scoring four points before overtime, EOU’s Dan Stafford was perfect from the field in the final five minutes, hitting 2-of-2 from the floor, including one three pointer, and 2-of-2 from the free throw line for seven of the Mountaineers 15 points in overtime to outpace the Cavs in the extra session. CU’s Alex Thiefenthaler netted the first points of the frame with successful conversions from the free throw line, but EOU would retake the lead with a Groce three pointer at the 2:25 mark and would not look back on the way to the road win.
One of five Mountaineers in double figures, Fryer led EOU with 17 points. Shooting 12-of-15 from the field, Tiefenthaler led the Cavs with 27 while Vaughan collected 20 points.
Both teams shot over 50 percent in the contest with EOU edging CU 54.8 to 52.3percent.