Men's Basketball tops SUNO in Overtime Thriller
Wiley University men's basketball players Demarius Pitts, Devon Barshow and Tayvion Fisher scored 20 or more points to help the Wildcats rally from a double-digit deficit in the second half of a 91-80 overtime victory over Southern University at New Orleans in their Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) opener Thursday at Alumni Gymnasium.
The Wildcats (3-2, 1-0 HBCUAC) extend their winning streak to three games and open conference play with a win for the second consecutive season. Pitts led all scorers with 28 points, hitting 11 of 18 shot attempts, including three 3-pointers. He also contributed six rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks. Barshow followed with 23 points on five made baskets, marking his second straight game with 20 or more. He led the team with nine rebounds. Fisher recorded his fourth game with 20 or more points with 20. He hit nine of 17 shot attempts. It's the first game since the 2006-07 season in which Wiley had three players score 20 points or more.
Wiley trailed by as many as eight in the first six minutes. Barshow hit a 3-pointer and Fisher made a dunk to cut the margin to three with 9:19 remaining. Tre Booker tied the game at 27 with a 3-pointer with 5:42 left in the first half. Pitts put Wiley on top with a layup and one. He hit two 3-pointers to increase the advantage to nine with 3:07 left in the first half. The Wildcats led by as many as 12, but did not make a field goal in the last 2:35 of the first half. Three missed shots and a turnover allowed SUNO to cut the margin to one at halftime.
The Wildcats opened the second half missing six of their first eight shots, which let the Knights take the lead. Wiley trailed 69-55 with 7:37 left in the game. Pitts hit a jump shot to cut the margin to single digits with 3:53 remaining. Jalen Bates got a steal and passed to Pitts, who laid it up to trim the lead to 74-72. Barshow hit a jumper with 55 seconds remaining to pull Wiley within one.
Trailing 78-77, the Knights did not convert a one-and-one opportunity and Bates grabbed the rebound with 20 seconds left. He passed to Barshow, who missed. Bates got the offensive rebound and was fouled as he attempted the go-ahead basket. He split his free throws to tie the game. Southern University at New Orleans had a chance at a game-winning shot but Pitts stole the ball from Tyon Thompson sending the game to overtime.
On the first possession of overtime, Pitts gave Wiley its first lead since the beginning of the second half with a 3-pointer. Bates stole the ball and scored, increasing the lead to five. He made a layup set up by a pass from Pitts. A hard foul led to a heated exchange, resulting in the ejection of a SUNO player. Pitts converted at the line to increase the lead to nine with 2:55 left.
Bates finished the game with eight rebounds and four steals. Barshow and Taj Toney each had three steals. Wiley was outshot 46.5 percent to 42.1 percent and outrebounded 49-41. It won the turnover battle 19-10 and outscored the Knights 21-13 in points off turnovers.
The Wildcats will continue HBCUAC play against Dillard University at 3 p.m. Saturday. The Bleu Devils edged Philander Smith 80-77 in a rematch of the 2024 conference championship game on Thursday.
For more coverage on the Wildcats visit https://wileyathletics.com/sports/mbkb/index
About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 12 varsity sports, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) and the Continental Athletic Conference for men's and women's soccer.
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