Men's Basketball Takes Ohio to Overtime, Falls 94-90 in CBI First Round

ATHENS, OHIO -  University at Albany men's basketball (24-9) ended the 2015-16 campaign with a 94-90 overtime loss to Ohio (22-11) on Wednesday night in the College Basketball Invitational First Round. Evan Singletary drained a three at the end of regulation to send the game into overtime.

“I thought this was a really good college basketball game,” said head coach Will Brown. “We knew they were a tremendous offensive team that could score from all five positions, hit the three well and they've got the best player in the MAC. I thought our guys fought and played a very good basketball team. I'm proud of my kids, but this is a tough time as a coach because we've got three seniors that won't wear that UAlbany uniform again.”

UAlbany got out to a quick 6-0 lead to kick off the first half, as Ohio started the game 0-for-6 from the field. After the Bobcats finally got on the board, Saul Phllips propelled his team to a 9-2 run to re-take the lead. Meanwhile, Brown & co., went 1-for-12 from the field with a four-minute scoring drought.

Mike Rowley made a statement on the block in the first half, scoring 10 points. The junior went for four points mid-way through the half to help the Danes chip away at the Ohio lead. But Ohio knocked down from three-point range to keep UAlbany at bay.

Joe Cremo found his rhythm late in the half, scoring four straight to tie the game at 23. The freshman fueled a 12-5 run, capped off by a Dallas Ennema trey. Ohio wrapped up the first half with a two-point lead, 30-28.

The Great Danes held MAC Player of the Year Antonio Campbell to four points in the first half. Rowley led all scorers with 10 points on 5-for-6 from the field. The Purple & Gold committed just four turnovers in the opening 20 minutes, but both teams shot under 40%.

Ohio came out of the gate in the second half on an 8-0 run, hitting two threes in the first 2:30 and swelling the lead to eight points, 38-30.

UAlbany began to play the offensive glass, as Richard Peters converted on back-to-back put-backs to regain the advantage. Brown's squad used a 12-2 run to seal a 51-50 edge at the 11:34 mark, the Purple & Gold's first lead since early in the first half.

The teams went back-and-forth mid-way through the period, with neither building more than a three-point cushion. Cremo and Sanders joined Rowley in double figures, and the momentum continued in UAlbany's favor as Campbell committed his fourth foul with 6:48 left in regulation.

The Bobcats hoped to put the game out of reach, but Evan Singletary scored 10 points in the final four minutes. The senior stepped up to tie the game at 69 with a three, and Peter Hooley hit from downtown to narrow the Ohio edge to one, 75-74 with seven seconds on the clock. After Jaaron Simmons made two free throws, the Bobcats upped their lead to three, 77-74.

Singletary charged down court to tie the game with two seconds on the clock. The senior sent UAlbany to overtime for the third time this season.

In extra time, Ray Sanders sank a trey to get the ball rolling and followed up his three-point effort with a drive and basket for five-straight points. Ohio responded by hitting back-to-back threes of its own. The Bobcats went 3-for-4 from three and 4-for-6 overall from the field in the five-minute extra period.

The Great Danes eventually succumbed to free throws from the Bobcats. Evan Singletary scored 13 points in the second half and finished with 19 overall to lead the Danes. Mike Rowley finished one rebound shy of a double-double (16 points, 9 rebounds), while Sanders (15), and Cremo (11) tallied double digits in scoring.

Hooley, Sanders and Singletary concluded their careers in the loss on Wednesday night. Hooley finished his career with 1,519 points. Sanders totaled 97 steals in his two-year stint as a Great Dane, while Singletary dished out 97 assists as a senior.

UAlbany matched its Division I single-season record in wins with 24, and made its fifth consecutive national post season appearance at the CBI.