Box Score

SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Clutch free throw shooting by J.T. Wilson (Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII Regional) with 28 seconds remaining in overtime helped his Susquehanna squad capture an 83-81 overtime victory against Landmark Conference opponent Catholic and remain perfect in league play.

SU trailed early in the extra session but a three-pointer from Spenser Spencer (Seattle, Wash./Lakeside) made it 74-73 and put Susquehanna (7-7, 3-0) ahead for good en route to the team's fourth-straight win.

Wilson and Spencer were two of three SU players in double figures as they scored 19 and 15 points, respectively. Wilson sank 8-of-9 free throws and also added seven rebounds.

Senior Rob Estep (York, Pa./West York/Hobart) led the Crusaders in scoring with 25 points while chipping in eight boards and three assists.

Susquehanna overcame 21 turnovers that translated into 26 Catholic points in part by shooting at a 52 percent clip (27-of-52), including a 53 percent effort from three-point range (8-of-15), aided by Spencer's 5-of-8 performance from beyond the arc.

The Crusaders jumped out to a 5-0 lead within the first 60 seconds of the game before Catholic's R.J. Dixon knotted it at five three minutes later. Dixon went on to lead the Cardinals (10-4, 1-2) with 28 points.

It stood 7-7 with 14:45 on the clock before a 9-3 Catholic run put SU in a six-point hole (16-10). At the midway point of the half, the Crusaders were behind by four, 21-17, before Estep's jumper at 8:06 tied it at 21.

The lead switched hands for the remaining eight minutes and Dixon's three with 47 seconds to play gave his team a slim, 35-34 halftime advantage.

The second half was more of the same with both sides seeing shares of the lead. Dixon's layup 12 minutes into the half handed his team an eight-point lead (60-52), its largest margin of the half, before Susquehanna rallied to tie it at 67 on two Estep free throws with 1:24 on the clock.

With SU leading 71-69 with nine ticks on the clock, freshman Harley Sellinger (Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain) was called for a foul and Catholic's Pete Schramm made both free throws to send the game into overtime.

Dixon's jumper marked the first points of the extra session and made it 73-71, but that was the final time his team led. Spencer countered with a trey to make it 74-73 and put SU permanently ahead as free throws from Wilson and one from Estep helped seal the victory.

Next game: Friday, Jan. 14 at Moravian – 5:30 p.m.