Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Northern Colorado
Weber State Rallies Past Northern Colorado, 88-84 In Overtime
1/4/2009 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
OGDEN, Utah -- It was a fairytale ending which would have made the Grimm Brothers proud. Down (by 12: 67-55, with five minutes remaining), and by some who left early, presumably out, the Weber State Wildcats summoned every wizard, magician and sorcerer they could conjure up inside the Dee Events Center, turning sure defeat into victory with a stunning 88-84 overtime win over Northern Colorado Saturday night in Ogden.
The Wildcats put together a spectacular 19-7 scoring run in that five minute stretch, but were still down 73-66 with 46 seconds left following two free throws by Northern Colorado guard WILL FIGURES, an 84 percent free throw shooter.
The final act of the magic show began with a three-pointer by WSU guard KELLEN McCOY with 33 seconds remaining. It was followed by a steal by Wildcat senior forward DAVIIN DAVIS who quickly flipped it to guard DAMIAN LILLARD for a quick lay in with 27 seconds left cutting the margin to 73-71.
DAVIS then fouled FIGURES with 22 seconds left and the Bears looked like they would steal the show. FIGURES made the first shot but missed the second. Weber States worked the clock for the final 22 seconds and was scrambling for a shot when LILLARD got the ball straight away from 23 feet and buried the three to tie the game sending the game into overtime and bringing back several spectators back into the Purple Palace.
LILLARD picked up where he left off, making a lay up at the 4:39 mark of the overtime period, but WILL FIGURES answered with a long three giving the Bears a 77-76 lead with 4:21 left.
KELLEN McCOY answered with his fifth three-pointer of the night to put the Wildcats back up by two, but FIGURES again came through, this time with an old-fashion three-point play with 2:48 left putting his team back up by one.
McCOY's driving lay in with 2:23 left gave the ?Cats an 81-80 lead. That lead was short lived. UNC's JABRIL BANKS made two free throws just seven seconds later (2:16) and the Bears had another one point lead (81-82).
DAMIAN LILLARD then scored the last of his 18 second half and overtime period points with a drive and lay up at the 2:05 mark giving the lead back to the Wildcats at 83-82. Northern Colorado's JOHN PENA missed a long three-pointer with 1:38 left. BANK got the offensive rebound, put the ball on the floor and was called for an offensive foul giving WSU the ball.
Weber State looked to increase its lead, but LILLARD was called for an offensive foul with 1:25 left. UNC worked a nice inside play for JABRIL BANKS who lay up with 50 seconds left gave the Bears their final lead of the game at 84-83.
The key play of the overtime period came with just six seconds left on the shot clock, 24 on the game clock, when DAVIIN DAVIS hit a three-pointer from deep in the left corner giving the Wildcats an 86-84 lead. It marked the first time in his 71-game career at WSU that he had made two three-pointers in a game.
Northern Colorado, though, still had a chance to win the game, with a three-pointer, but a turnover by WILL FIGURES with 13 seconds left, and subsequent foul by NEAL KINGMAN, put KELLEN McCOY at the free throw line with seven seconds left. McCOY made both free throws to complete the transformation.
"I really don't know what to say right now," said WSU head coach Randy Rahe. "Our team just dug down, dug in, fought, and made plays. We had great play from our seniors and Damian Lillard's second half performance down the stretch was more like a senior than a first year freshman."
Weber State began the game with an 11-2 scoring run in the first three minutes, only to see the Bears outscore them 37-23 in the final 17 minutes to take a 39-34 behind 12 points from JOHN PENA and 10 from JABRIL BANKS.
Northern Colorado came out in the second half in a mirror like image of WSU's first half, going on an 11-2 run in the first three minutes, forging a 50-36 lead. The Wildcats then rallied back to within five (55-50) with 10:42 left only to see the Bears then go on a 12-5 scoring run over the next five minutes taking the 67-55 lead with 4:54 left, setting up the final fireworks.
For Northern Colorado, it marked a second straight stunning defeat in overtime in Big Sky play. On New Year's Day in Pocatello, the Bears lost in overtime, 62-61, on a tip in at the buzzer. The Bears shot 55 percent from the field overall, hit 10-20 three-pointers and were 18-26 from the free throw line.
They were led by 20 points a piece from JABRIL BANKS and WILL FIGURES, and got 14 each from DEVON BEITZEL and JOHN PENA. UNC falls to 5-10 overall and 1-2 in Big Sky action.
The Wildcats tied the school record for most three-pointers in a game, hitting 15-32 from the arc. KELLEN McCOY scored a career high 23 points which included a career high five three-pointers made. DAMIAN LILLARD also had a career high 18 points and a career high seven rebounds. LILLARD, who was 0-2 from the field and had no points at half time, hit 7-11 shots from the field in the second half and overtime period. The Wildcats also got a career scoring night from red-shirt freshman forward KYLE BULLINGER who had 17 points.
Weber State evens its overall record at 7-7 and moves to 1-0 in Big Sky Conference play. Next action for the Wildcats comes next Thursday, January 8 when the meet defending Big Sky champion, and current league leader, Portland State
