CU's Justin Searle posted a season-best five blocks on Saturday.
Mustangs Outlast Cavs in Overtime
BOX SCORE - Concordia vs. The Master's
SANTA CLARITA, Calif.—Using a banked 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime, The Master’s College went on to outscore Concordia in the extra session for a 74-71 non-conference win on Saturday.
The Master’s improved to 10-3 on the season with its fifth straight win. Concordia fell to 6-8 with the result.
The Cavaliers will return to action on Jan. 4 when it travels to face Evergreen State. Opening tip against the Geoducks is set for 7:30 p.m. in Olympia, Wash.
The first half of play was highlighted by a pair of streaks by both teams. After the Mustangs spotted the visiting Cavs a 5-0 lead, The Master’s returned with a 9-0 spurt to claim their first lead of the game. The Cavs returned with 10 unanswered points which included a pair of Wily Ligon 3-pointers to reclaim the lead at 15-9.
Faced with a six-point deficit, the Mustangs reversed the spread with a 15-3 run to gain a six-point lead of their own. Ligon cut the shortage to a single point with a layup in the final minute while Logan Quinn converted a 3-pointer for the final bucket of the half and a 32-28 TMC edge.
Ligon teamed up with Adam Herman for CU’s first seven points of the second half to put the Cavs ahead yet again, but the second half would feature nine lead changes with Concordia only gaining up to a 3-point gap at any point.
With 21 second to play, Ligon drained a pair of free throws for one of those 3-point advantages, this time with the score 63-60. The lead looked to be secure as Leif Karlberg missed a 3-point attempt with 12 second to play, but Mustang teammate Chris Patureau kept the possession alive with an offensive rebound.
The Mustangs then got the ball to Lance Reeves who tossed up a 3-pointer from the left flank which glanced high off the glass and down for the tying score.
Herman had a chance to win it for the Cavs in the final second with a jumper at the top of the key, but the attempt clanged innocently off the right side of the rim to extend the game.
In overtime, Justin Searle came up with two early baskets to give CU a 67-65 lead with 3:25 remaining, but the Mustangs responded by attacking the rim with layups by Austin Loab and Devin Dyer while Patureau added a dunk for a 71-67 TMC lead.
Ligon’s fifth 3-pointer of the game made it a 72-71 contest with 10 seconds left, but two free throws once again made it a three-point disparity. Down to their last possession, Concordia orchestrated a run up the court which enabled their sharpshooter space at the top of the arc. Taking his 15th long-ranged attempt of the game, Ligon got a good look at the basket but the potential game-tying launch rattled out to seal the win for the home bench.
A day after tying his season best of 29 points, Ligon upped the effort with a 31-point night against the Mustangs. Herman scored 20 and added a team-high nine rebounds. Searle, who stymied the Mustang offense with his presence down low, scored 13 points, corralled eight rebounds and blocked five shots.
Four Mustangs reached double figures with Dyer posting a team-high 18 points.
Concordia outshot their counterparts 40.9 percent to 36.8 percent but were dominated at the boards as TMC snared a 51-to-37 rebound advantage.