CHESTERTOWN, Md. – Sophomore guard Lawrence Pettis, Jr. hit a layup with 0.1 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Frostburg State men's basketball team to a thrilling 85-84 victory over Washington College (Md.) in non-conference action Sunday afternoon at Cain Athletic Center.
A pair of missed free throws by the Shoremen gave Frostburg possession trailing by just one (84-83) in overtime. Pettis took the ball with under ten seconds remaining and slashed down the right side to the basket for an acrobatic game-winning layup before a desperate heave from the hosts from beyond midcourt fell well short and preserved the second overtime win of the season for the Bobcats.
Pettis, who also hit the game-tying shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime, finished with 26 points, two assists, two rebounds and three steals in 35 minutes of action. The 26 points also tied a game-high for Pettis, who has opened the year with three double-digit scoring performances in four games. He knocked down a pair of crucial shots and led the Bobcats with a game-high six points in the overtime period.
The Bobcats were also powered by double-double performances from senior Tyler Michael and junior Edwin Cole. Michael poured in 26 points with 12 rebounds while Cole notched 15 points and added 11 boards.
Frostburg (2-2) shot 44.1% from the floor and 35.3% from three, while Washington College (1-3) finished 42.6% from the field and 41.2% from three-point range.
In addition to the efforts from Pettis, Michael and Cole, sophomore Daniel Alexander rounded out the Bobcats double-digit scorers with 10 points and six rebounds.
The game featured eight total ties and seven lead changes while the teams combined for 84 points in the paint.
Frostburg rattled off a 17-0 scoring run in the first half to turn an eight-point deficit into a nine-point lead with 5:35 left in the half. Senior guard Jordan Johnson converted a layup with less than one minute remaining in the half to put Frostburg up 38-32.
The hosts took control in the second half, building a lead that reached up to nine, but Frostburg continued to claw its way back. A three from Michael with 28 seconds remaining brought the deficit to just one at 72-71 before Pettis ultimately tied the game at 75.
Washington was led by Josh Porteous, who drained three three-pointers and finished with 20 points. Tas Dixon added 16 while Dallas Marshall finished with 10 points for the Shoremen.
The Bobcats began the season with a 115-107 double overtime victory over Case Western Reserve on November 17.
Frostburg begins Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) play on Wednesday against Penn State Harrisburg. Tipoff from Bobcat Arena is set for 8:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on the Bobcat Sports Network.
For up-to-date game information, including live stats and video streaming, visit frostburgsports.com.
