FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State men's basketball team staved off a second-half comeback from visiting Mary Washington by taking an 85-84 win in overtime, Saturday.
 
The Bobcats (5-16, 4-10) led by as many as 19 points in the second half before the Eagles (10-11, 6-8) started their rally.
 
Junior Tyler Michael hit a layup with 14:24 to play in the second that put FSU ahead 57-38. Mary Washington began its comeback with 20 points over the next six minutes and Austin Hall knocked down a three-pointer that pulled the visitors to within seven, 65-58.
 
Bobcat sophomore Edwin Cole hit a layup at 8:29 and thundered home a one-handed dunk on the ensuing possession to keep Frostburg ahead by nine.
 
A.J. Robinson answered for UMW with a traditional three-point play at 7:29 and the Eagles scored the game's next seven points to knot the score at 69-69.
 
The two teams battled to a tied scored four more times over the final 3:31, including a 77-77 knot at the final horn. Freshman Lawrence Pettis, Jr. hit a baseline jumper with 42 seconds left to put Frostburg up, 77-75, before Eric Shaw evened things at 77-77 with a jumper with 16 seconds left.
 
Frostburg had a three-pointer miss the basket in the final second of regulation to force extra time.
 
Mary Washington controlled much of the overtime period and pushed its lead to three, 83-80, when Austin Hall knocked down a three-pointer from the top of the arc with 2:23 left.
 
It was Frostburg's turn to even the score when Michael hit a free throw at 1:58 and converted a layup with 1:30 to play. John Lutkenhaus put the Eagles up one, 84-83, with a free throw at 1:10, but Pettis, Jr. handed the Bobcats the victory with a layup with 12 seconds left.
 
Frostburg shot 46.8 percent from the field (36-of-77) and hit back-to-back three-pointers from junior Dalton Gaus and freshman Rhashad Johnson for a seven-point lead, 34-27 with 5:02 left in the first half. The Bobcats later closed out the first half on a 9-0 run for a 45-34 lead at the break.
 
The Bobcats continued the surge in the second half as they built their 19-point lead behind 12-4 run over the five first 5:36.
 
Five different Bobcat players finished in double figures led by 22 points from Michael. Cole and freshman Daniel Alexander each posted a double-double. Cole had 14 points and 11 boards, while Alexander finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Pettis, Jr. came off the bench with an 11-point effort including the game-winner while Johnson added 10.
 
The Eagles finished with four players in double figures led by 23 from Johnny Cronin.

The Bobcats return to action on Wednesday when they host Southern Virginia at 8:00 pm.