Mens’ Basketball Drops Double-OT Heartbreaker to Medgar Evers

Written by Andrew Capitelli (SJC-LI Sports Information)

Arlington, VA| Despite a 41-point performance from junior Andy Laurent, the St. Joseph's College (L.I.) men's basketball team suffered a 109-106 double-overtime loss to Medgar Evers College in the third-place game of the Pablo Coto Tip-Off Tournament on Sunday afternoon. With the defeat, the Golden Eagles fall to 1-3 on the season, while the Cougars improve to 1-2.

St. Joseph's jumped out to an early 11-6 lead in the opening frame but a 9-0 run by MEC set the tone for a game that would saw eight lead changes and 10 tied scores.

After falling behind 22-15, the Golden Eagles rallied for 13 of the next 18 points to regain the lead at 28-27. Over the next two minutes, Laurent would score seven points to extend the SJC lead to 32-27 before the Golden Eagles entered halftime up 39-35.

MEC's 11-6 run at the start of the second inched the Cougars ahead 46-45 with 15:49 to play, and the run would eventually springboard them to a nine-point lead (59-50) with 10:08 remaining in the half.

Down 69-60 at 4:44, the Golden Eagles began to mount their comeback and clawed back to within one point (71-70) with 2:57 to go. The Cougars scored the next six points, but SJC responded with 12-5 run—which was capped off with a Laurent layup with less than one second on the clock—to tie the game at 82 and force overtime.

The sides went point-for-point through the first overtime frame with senior Billy Heenan's layup with 26 seconds left proving to be the bucket that clinched a second extra frame.

Junior Fernando Vazquez's consecutive free throws 22 seconds in the second overtime gave the Golden Eagles the early 95-93 lead, but it was the last advantage SJC would hold in the contest. Despite Heenan's three-pointer with 19 seconds to play—which drew the game back to 107-106—the Cougars fended off a late-period push by the Golden Eagles to earn the 109-106 victory.

Laurent's 41 points were a career-high and landed him on the All-Tournament Team. The guard shot 14-23 from the field and also contributed 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

Vazquez went for 22 points and seven rebounds, and sophomore Isaiah Moore contributed 16 points.

The Cougars held edges in overall shooting (44.6%-41.7%), and second-chance points (13-4), but the Golden Eagles shot better from the free throw line (81.3%-69.2%) and outscored MEC 46-36 in the paint.

The Golden Eagles return to action on Tuesday, November 24 when they open their Skyline Conference account on the road against SUNY Old Westbury at 6:00 PM. Live stats available here.