Seahawks Survive Mary Washington with OT Triumph
St. Mary's City, Md. - An 8-4 run in the first overtime period clinched an 81-77 victory for the St. Mary's College of Maryland men's basketball team over Capital Athletic Conference foe, the University of Mary Washington, Saturday afternoon.
St. Mary's junior guard Camontae Griffin (Baltimore, Md./Dunbar) forced the issue when following an Eagle in-bounds play, Griffin stripped the ball from senior guard Matt Hale (Centreville, Va./Westfield) just beyond the three-point arc and laid it up for the game-tying basket with six seconds remaining in regulation. Mary Washington's game-winning attempt was released after the buzzer.
The Seahawks (12-3, 5-1 CAC) opened up overtime with a 5-0 run before junior center Brandon Altmann (Vienna, Va./James Madison) sank four consecutive free throws to bring UMW within 78-77 at 1:49. Senior forward Calvin Wise (Bel Air, Md./Calvert Hall) finished off a pass from Griffin to give St. Mary's a three-point breather with 31 seconds remaining.
Senior center Alex Irmer (Alexandria, Va./Wakefield) secured the win when Irmer blocked senior guard Kevin Storus (Centreville, Va./Westfield) lay-up as time expired.
Mary Washington (7-6, 4-1 CAC) never trailed in the first half as a 20-8 run gave the Eagles their largest lead of 23-12 at 12:19. UMW held off St. Mary's advances with six long-range shots to post a 43-32 halftime advantage.
Hale led all players at the half with 17 points as he was 4-of-5 from downtown, while senior forward Kiernan Whitworth (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) was also in twin figures with 10. Griffin paced his ‘Hawks with 13 and four assists.
The Seahawks erased a 46-35 deficit with a 23-9 start to the second half to stake a 58-55 advantage at 12:04. The two teams then traded baskets before Mary Washington reclaimed a 73-68 lead at 3:34 following an 8-2 spurt. Sophomore forward Mike Fitzpatrick (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) sparked St. Mary's offense with his lay-up at 1:03 to bring his squad within 73-70 after the Seahawks had gone 1-for-10 from the floor in a 7-minute span. Griffin then made his first free throw before missing his second for a two-point game.
Griffin led four Seahawk starters in double figures with a game-high 25 points and dished out a game- and season-high seven assists, while Fitzpatrick added a career-high 19 as he was 5-of-9 from downtown. Sophomore guard Alex Franz (Catonsville, Md./Cardinal Gibbons) added a dozen, while Irmer had a double-double on 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Hale finished with 24 point and six assists, while Altmann had a double-double with 22 points and a game-high 13 caroms and Whitworth chipped in 13.
St. Mary's will host Gallaudet University this coming Monday, January 19 at 2:00 in another league tilt. The men's game will be the second of Monday's CAC twin bill as the women face the Bison at noon.
