January 13, 2009
Mules Nose Past Shoremen, 82-79, in OT
Chambers Scores 21 Points To Lead All Players In Defeat

ALLENTOWN, PA – Spencer Liddic had a team-best 20 points, 13 rebounds and a game-high three blocks as host Muhlenberg College downed visting Washington College, 82-79, in overtime on Tuesday night at Memorial Hall in Centennial Conference men's basketball action. The Mules improved to 6-5 overall and 2-3 in conference play with the win, while the Shoremen fell to 4-8 and 1-4.

In overtime, the Mules, who would not trail in the extra session, scored on their first two posessions to take a 73-68 lead, but the Shoremen answered with four points of their own to cut the hosts lead to 73-72 with 3:17 left. Muhlenberg would respond with a three-pointer by Mike Bernardini to make it 76-72 Mules with 2:49 left in the extra session. Junior guard Andrew Chambers (Williamsport, MD/St. Maria Goretti) cut it to 76-74 on a pair of free throws with 2:17 left. Peter Barnes gave the hosts a four-point lead with two free throws of his own with 1:57 remaining to make it 78-74. Chambers responded with a three-pointer to trim the Mules lead to 78-77 with 40 ticks left. Chris MacIntosh netted two free throws to extend the hosts lead to 80-77, but Chambers cut the lead back to one at 80-79 on a layup with eight seconds left. After two Bernardini free throws to give Muhlenberg an 82-79 lead, Washington's last shot from three to try to send the game to a a second overtime was off the mark and Muhlenberg held on for the win.

With the game even at 65-65, Bernardini would give Muhlenberg a 68-65 lead with 18 seconds left in regulation as he hit the layup and was fouled. He stepped to the charity stripe and hit the free throw to extend the hosts lead to three. Freshman guard Kevin Breslin (Hagerstown, MD/St. Maria Goretti) would answer for Washington as he drained a three-pointer to even the game at 68-68 with seven seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime.

In the first half, the Shoremen jumped out quickly, netting the first five points of the game on a layup by senior guard Tim Kohlrus (Fairfax, VA/W.T. Woodson) and a three-pointer by junior forward Alan Kines (Towson, MD/Towson). Muhlenberg would answer with nine consecutive points, all on triples by Ryan Foster to grab a 9-5 lead with 15:01 left in the opening half. Washington scored six of the next eight points to even the score at 11-11 with 11:58 to go in half number one. Washington regained the lead at 13-12 with 8:58 left in the first on a jumper by freshman guard Sal Schittino (Ellicott City, MD/Loyola Blakefield). Down 16-14, the Mules rolled off six straight points by Liddic to grab a 20-16 lead with 5:29 remaining. Washington however answered with a 11-2 run to take a 27-22 lead that was capped on a traditional three-point play by junior forward James Whall (Freehold, NJ/Freehold). The guests would extend their lead to 32-24 on a three-pointer by Whall, but the hosts scored four of the final five first half points to cut Washington's lead to 33-28 at halftime.

The Mules cut the Shoremen lead to 33-32 by scoring four quick points to open the second half. Washington responded with five straight points to take a 38-32 lead with 17:24 to go when Chambers hit a layup and was fouled. He then netted the free throw to complete the conventional three-point play. Muhlenberg scored six of the next eight points to trim the WC lead to 40-38 with 15:18 to go in the game. After Washington extended the lead to 50-45, Muhlenberg finally knotted the score at 50-50 on a layup by Liddic. Foster would give Muhlenberg its first lead of the second half on a jumper with 8:59 remaining at 52-50. Chambers would level the contest at 52-52 on a putback layup. With the score deadlocked at 56-56, the Mules netted five of the next six points to take a 61-57 lead with 3:17 remaining in the second. Muhlenberg would extend its lead to five at 64-59 with just 1:47 left in regulation. The Shoremen answered with six straight points to take a 65-64 lead with 54 ticks left on a jumper by freshman guard Bresllin as he rebounded a missed Washington free throw. The Mules would hit one of two from the free throw line to even the score at 65-65 with 52 seconds left in second stanza.

Barnes added 17 points and a game-high 14 rebounds for the Mules in the victory, while Foster added 15 points, 11 coming in the first half, and corralled eight boards. MacIntosh scored 10 points and handed out seven assists to lead all players. Bernardini scored nine points, but eight of the nine came in the final 5:18 of the game.

For the Shoremen, Chambers led all players with 21 points and scored seven of his points in the extra session. Kohlrus scored 14 points, while Kines added 12 points and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.

Muhlenberg shot 43% from the field and 33% from three-point range, while Washington was 35% and 44%, respectively. The Mules held a 51-40 advantage on the boards, while the Shoremen committed just 14 turnovers to Muhlenberg's 20. Muhlenberg held a 42-20 edge in points in the paint, while the Shoremen outscored the Mules, 22-14, in points off of turnovers. The game featured 11 lead changes and 10 ties.

The Shoremen, who have lost their last five contests by a total of 17 points, return to action Thursday with an 8:00 p.m. Centennial Conference away game at McDaniel in an attempt to snap the skid.

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