Sweetheart of a Win -- Moore Sinks Three Free Throws with 2.1 Seconds Remaining in OT to Lift Mounties to 78-76 Win over Bloom

BLOOMSBURG -- You had to see it to actually believe it.

In one of the most improbable finishes in recent memory, and in a game the Mountaineers had to win to keep their playoff hopes alive, Thomas Moore sank three free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining in overtime to lift Mansfield to an unbelievable 78-76 overtime win at Bloomsburg in critical PSAC East win Saturday afternoon.

It was a comeback for the ages for the Mountaineers who rallied from nine points down with just under seven minutes to play to take their first lead of the day when Joe Bell nailed back-to-back 3-points giving Mansfield a 60-58 advantage with three minutes remaining in overtime.

"We didn't play particularly well," said head coach Rich Miller. "But we needed a win and we found a way. Now we need two more."

Mansfield held a 62-60 lead when Bloomsburg's Jon Riles hit a 3-pointer with 59 seconds to play to regain the lead for the Huskies. A dunk by Alssene Saintilus with 22 seconds on the clock extended Bloomsburg's lead to 65-62 and Mansfield was in trouble.

But Charles Pemberton made a layup 11 seconds later to pull to one and was fouled on the play. The senior, who struggled from the line early in the season, hit the free throw to tie the game at 65-65. Bloomsburg had a shot with a second left but it was off the mark sending the game into overtime.

Mansfield scored the first overtime points on a layup by Moore and seemed to have the game in hand when Da`Quan Jones's free throw with 1:48 remaining put the Mountaineers up 78-73. Bloomsburg cut the lead to 78-75 on a pair of free throws by Christian Mortellite 16 seconds later.

It looked as if Mansfield had pulled off the improbable win when Moore sank two free throw to put the Mountaineers back up by five points at 75-70 with 37 seconds to go but the Huskies got a layup by Saintilus five seconds later to make a three points game.

Mansfield missed two free throws on its next possession and a layup by Mortelite with 10 seconds left made it a one point game at 75-74.

That's when it got really strange.

Mortellite was called for a personal foul for grabbing and holding the Mountaineers Balla Thiam on the ensuing inbounding play and Thaim was issued a technical foul for retaliating.

Thaim went to the line first and missed both of his free throw attempts while Mortellite sank both of his giving the lead back to Bloomsburg at 76-75 and the Huskies had the ball. Jones fouled Bloomsburg's Jon Riles one second later but Riles missed both of his shots giving Mansfield one last possession.

Mansfield struggled to get a shot off until Moore launched a long 3-point attempt that was well off the mark but was fouled in the act of shooting by Bloomsburg's Charles Haigler with 2.1 seconds left.
Moore, who had made all five of his earlier free throw attempts, calmly sank all three shots giving Mansfield a 78-76 lead.

Bloomsburg got off a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded but was well off the mark giving Mansfield to remarkable come-from-behind-win.

While most of the drama and attention in was focused on the final seconds of regulation and overtime, it was Joe Bell's outside shooting that made the win possible. With Mansfield trailing by seven points with just over five minutes to play, Bell hit three straight 3-pointers over a two minute span to put the Mountaineers in the lead.

Mansfield also dominated the glass pulling down 36 rebounds, 11 of them offensive, to Bloomsburg's 27.

Pemberton, the PSAC's field goal percentage leader, came off the bench to connect of 8-of-9 from the floor in scoring a team-high 21 points while recording his third straight double-double by pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds.

Moore, who hit all eight of his free throws on the day, also had a double-double with 19 points and a season-high 11 assists. Bell scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half and connected of 4-of-9 of his 3-point attempts. Andreas Katopodis, whose 3-pointer with just seven minutes to play started Mansfield's rally, scored 11 points.

Mortellite topped three Bloomsburg players in double-figures with a game-high 25 points with Jon Riles scoring 11 points and Saintilus 10 points.

The win keeps Mansfield ½ game behind Lock Haven and Shippensburg for the sixth and final playoff spot from the PSAC East after Lock Haven edged Millersville 78-71 and Kutztown beat Shippensburg 67-51 on Saturday. Mansfield holds the tie-breaker over the Lock Haven after beating the Bald Eagles twice this season and split with Shippensburg on the year.

Mansfield, which has just two games remaining in the regular season facing division leaders East Stroudsburg and West Chester, has a bye on Wednesday before hosting East Stroudsburg for Senior Day on Saturday.