FINAL SCORE: #3 Penn State Mont Alto 80, #6 Johnson & Wales University (NC) 82

FINAL SCORE: #3 Penn State Mont Alto 80, #6 Johnson & Wales University (NC) 82

RECORDS: Penn State Mont Alto 22-5; Johnson & Wales University (NC) 14-12

LOCATION: Penn State Fayette Main Arena, Uniontown, PA

IN BRIEF: In a double overtime thriller the Johnson & Wales University (NC) Wildcats defeated the Penn State Mont Alto 82-80. There were 15 lead changes in what has been closest game of the tournament.

ON THE COURT

• Penn State Mont Alto jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the opening two minutes of the first half.
• Nick Crawford led all players with 13 points at the end of the first half. He was 6-8 from the floor and had three steals.
• The Wildcats came out of the locker room to start the second half and turned a 36-24 halftime deficit into a lead three minutes into the second half. Moments later, Mykel Barber of Penn State Mont Alto, answered with a three pointer to retake the lead 39-38.
• Each team traded baskets for the remainder of the second half with neither team able to take control of the game. At the end of regulation the score was tied 65-65.
• In the first overtime Mont Alto took the early lead, but Barber scored four straight points to give the Wildcats back the lead. With 19 seconds remaining in the overtime period Nick Crawford nailed a jump shot to tie the game at 73-73 and force a second overtime.
• In the second overtime Johnson & Wales took an early 75-73 lead on a Rickey Porter jumper. Mont Alto regained the 78-77 lead when Jalen Smith nailed another three pointer. Crawford scored what would prove to be the winning bucket with under five seconds to play, giving the Wildcats an 81-80 lead that they wouldn't relinquish.

BEHIND THE BOXSCORE

• Crawford finished with a game high 28 points. He was one assist away from a triple double with nine assists and ten rebounds. Johnson & Wales had five players with double digit points including Michael Cuthbertson who finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds.  
• Barber led PSU Mont Alto with 22 points in 26 minutes of action and shot 60% from behind the arc. Jerome Evans pulled down 16 rebounds and contributed 13 points.
• Johnson and Wales scored 27 points off of Mont Alto's 26 turnovers in 50 minutes of play.

NEXT UP

Johnson & Wales University (NC) will advance and play Central Penn College tomorrow at 3:00 pm in Main Arena as both teams fight for a spot in the Men's Division II National Championship game. Penn State Mont Alto will play Penn State Fayette on Friday at 10:00 am EST in a consolation match.