FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State men's basketball team had a late chance to beat Davis & Elkins on Wednesday to move one step closer to securing a spot in the upcoming 2020 MEC Tournament. However, a last second shot for the Bobcats fell just short that would have tied the game and set the final at 77-75 in favor of D&E.
Frostburg trailed by as many as 14 points in the second and things appeared like the visiting Senators were going to run away with the contest. The Senators led 61-47, with 12:05 showing on the second half clock before the Bobcats began to slowly and methodically chip away at their deficit.
Junior Joe Adedayo converted a traditional three-point play at 10:00 and sophomore Bo Schene hit a layup at 8:52 as FSU trailed by just five, 61-56. D&E pushed the score back to 73-63 at 3:25 and Frostburg had one final surge.
Graduate JR Kerr hit a layup at 1:50 and Adedayo connected on a three-pointer from the corner with 27 seconds left as FSU trailed by one, 75-74. Mande Baledrokadroka hit a free throw with 7.5 seconds left to push the Senator lead back to two, 77-75.
Frostburg had one final shot, but Kerr's attempt from the paint hit the front of the rim and fell short as the final horn sounded.
The loss drops FSU to 10-17 overall and 7-14 in the MEC, while Elkins improves to 8-19 and 6-15.
Senior Daniel Alexander led Frostburg with 18 points and nine rebounds, while fellow senior Terry Kenner scored 11. Adedayo came off the bench to score 10.
Three starters finished in double figures for D&E as it was led by Donte Doleman's 22. Erkam Kiris scored 19.
The Bobcats led by as many as five in the opening half when Schene hit a three-pointer at 13:57. Sophomore Maurice Carroll hit a layup at 12:41 for a 17-13 cushion and Kenner hit a three-pointer at 11:28 for a 20-16 edge.
The visitors rebounded with a 9-0 run to lead by eight, 34-26 with 5:19. Kerr knotted the game for the Bobcats at 34 with two free throws and gave the hosts a two-point lead, 36-34 with two more foul shots at 2:18.
D&E closed the half with a layup from Kyle Leslie as time expired for a 41-37 lead.
The Bobcats return to action at Fairmont on Saturday at 4:00 pm.
