SELINSGROVE, PA – Susquehanna beat the buzzer twice to pull of an electrifying 81-79 overtime win over Catholic. In front of a packed crowd as part of Blackout Night, the River Hawks were down late 69-66 when
Jackson Van Wagener drained an NBA-length 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime. With the game knotted up at 79-79, the Cardinals drove down to attempt a final shot, only for Van Wagener to poke the ball loose and find an open
KJ Carson down the lane to get the game-winning layup off just before the horn sounded.
HOW IT WENT DOWN
- Both teams traded buckets early until Catholic took control of the lead around the 15:00 mark in the first half. The Cardinals jumped out to a 15-11 lead with 13:29 remaining.
- Susquehanna responded right away, executing a 12-6 run thanks, in part, to two made three-pointers from Billy Anderson and Seamus Rogers.
- First-year guard KJ Carson stood out with a stellar defensive effort before the game hit a halt.
- The game was delayed for more than five minutes at the 6:45 mark in the first half as the fire alarm went off.
- The River Hawks benefited from the break, finishing the half on fire; they went on a 16-4 run before the break. Carson scored seven points in that run.
- The Cardinals stormed out of the break, going on a 19-9 run in the half's first eight minutes, and cutting the lead to just six.
- Catholic's Peter Gellene made a transition three-pointer with 1:43 remaining to take a three-point lead at 64-61.
- The two teams played the free-throw game towards the end of the game, but Carson made a three pointer with :11 remaining to cut the lead to two.
- The Cardinals made one of their two free throws on the ensuing possession, giving Susquehanna an opportunity to tie the game. Carson, at the top of the key with just seconds remaining, spotted Van Wagener in the left wing. Standing practically by the coaching box line, Van Wagener sank the game-tying three with zeroes on the clock to extend the evening tied 69-69.
- The Cardinals held control for much of the extra period before the River Hawks stormed back with just over a minute to play. Behind 79-75, Susquehanna offered the final three field goals of the night.
- The first came from Mario Castro Sanchez on a layup with under a minute and a half to play. After a few exchanges, Carson gathered the ball following a missed Catholic shot and ran the length of the court, laying one up that rolled the right way around the back iron to go in with 10 seconds remaining.
- Following a timeout, Catholic tried to get the last shot to call game. Instead, CJ Ruoff tried to pull up, but Van Wagener poked the ball away and made a dash up the left wing. Spotting an open Carson down the right side with two seconds, he bounced it over to the first-year, who got the ball off with 0.1 seconds left on the clock for the game-winning layup
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The River Hawks held the lead for the majority of the game (28:52) and outshot Catholic from the field and from beyond the arc. Susquehanna made 49.2 percent (30-of-61) to Catholic's 46.0 percent (29-of-63), while connecting on 9-of-19 long balls to the Cardinals' 8-of-21.
- Carson and senior Brandon Lavitt both scored a team-high 18 points, with Lavitt reaching double-double status with ten rebounds. He now has 1,140 career points with 679 career boards.
- Carson also led with three of the team's nine 3-pointers, while shooting 7-of-13 from the floor.
- Junior guard Mario Castro Sanchez finished with a team-high four assists to go along with 15 points and seven rebounds.
- Senior big-man Audric Washington also finished in with double-digits in points (10) to go along with five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
- Van Wagener's heroics highlighted a night where he mainly played contributor, amassing nine points with three rebounds and two assists. He made 2-of-5 threes.
UP NEXT FOR THE RIVER HAWKS
- For Susquehanna, the team's win streak now grows to three as they ride a late-season surge to put them back in front of the Landmark Conference Tournament
- The River Hawks will travel to take on the University of Scranton at 4 p.m.
- Susquehanna's remaining two games this regular season feature Goucher on the road Wednesday, Feb. 18, then at home against Drew Saturday, Feb. 21.
- All three games are vital in the River Hawks' bid for a Landmark Conference Tournament berth. After a few disappointing defeats took them out of the top six, the River Hawks are currently 8-7 in the Landmark (12-10 overall) alongside Wilkes and Moravian. Susquehanna swept the Colonels this season, while splitting with the Greyhounds.
