The depth that was Central Maine Community College’s calling card this season didn’t translate to success when the season went to sudden death.
Despite a tournament-record 46 points from Shaun Hill, the Mustangs fell in overtime, 103-101, to No. 8 Penn State Beaver in the quarterfinals of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association DII tournament in Uniontown, Pa on Thursday night.
Penn State Beaver (21-6), which had won a preliminary game the day before, advances to Friday’s semifinal against Penn State Mont Alto. CMCC (30-3) will play a consolation game against Warren Wilson College at noon.
Rob Agurs made a tournament record 19 of 27 free throws en route to 38 points, 15 rebounds and a tournament-record-tying eight steals to lead the Nittany Lions. Kazre Cummings added 14 points for the Mustangs, while Jalen Lincoln pitched in with 10 points and Luis Medina eight points and 10 assists before fouling out late in the second half.
The Mustangs trailed by three when Cummings was fouled trying a 3-pointer from the corner with 0.3 on the clock. But he missed the first two of his three free throws that would have tied it, clinching the win for the Nittany Lions.
The teams combined for 100 free throws in the game, with Penn State Beaver knocking down a record 44 of 56 (79 percent) and CMCC converting 25 of 41 (61 percent).
Led by Hill and Cummings, CMCC rallied from a 10-point deficit with 12:33 left.
Medina, the Mustangs’ All-American point guard, and and fellow starter Tim Flanagan both fouled out during regulation, Medina with 6:06 remaining, Flanagan with 4:30 to go. The Mustangs trailed 83-82 when Flanagan left, but back-to-back hoops by Hill and a Cummings free throw put them up 87-85 with 1:49 to go.
Free throws by Chris Best and Agurs put the Lions back in front by one. Hill answered with a 3-pointer that made it 90-88 with 1:09 to go.
Agurs made one of two at the line to pull within one with 42 seconds left, then Cummings missed a jumper, giving the Lions the ball back with 10 seconds left. With six seconds left, Hill fouled Markes Royster, who made one of two at the line to tie it and, ultimately, send the game into overtime.
The game featured 17 lead changes and 15 ties, including three and two, respectively, in the overtime. CMCC led, 95-92 with 3:24 left in the extra session. But turnovers on three of its next four possessions allowed Penn State Beaver to reclaim the lead for good when Nick Miller’s 3-pointer made it 99-97 with 1:12 left.
Ignacio Alleyne’s layup 20 seconds later increased the deficit to four. Hill, who made 20 of 30 shots from the floor, pulled the Mustangs back within one on a 3-pointer. Miller scored to make it a three-point game again before Alleyne fouled Cummings behind the arc.
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