Sports
Thunderstruck
By: Mitchell Lyons
Posted on:
Gavin Block tied the game once.
And he did.
He had a chance to tie it a second time. But the shot hit the rim.
The Ohio Bobcats (5-5) fell to the Marshall Thundering Herd (8-3) 99-96 in OT, on Saturday night.
Down two with 7.9 seconds left. Teyvion Kirk got the inbounds pass. Kirk went around a Kevin Mickle screen. Kirks shot at the rim did not go. Block got the rebound and tipped it in, beating the buzzer. Game tied at 90.
In overtime, Marshall scored six of the first eight points. Mickle stepped to the line, down 96-92 with 37 seconds remaining. Mickle split the pair. Ohio fouled Ajdin Penava with 27 seconds remaining. Penava scored his game-high 33-point on the first free throw. But he missed the second one. With ten seconds remaining, Gollon found Kirk in the left corner for three. Nothing but net. One-point game, 97-96.
Two Jon Elmore free throws gave Marshall a 99-96 lead with 11 seconds left. Block’s three from the top of the key hit the rim but fell to the floor.
In his return to action, Jordan Dartis had a team and career-high 27 points on seven threes. Ohio got back Dartis but lost Mike Laster. Laster, who had 12 points, and was in and out of the lineup and ended the game on the bench.
The game started off with 25 points in the first five minutes. A Jason Carter layup gave Ohio an 18-13 lead. A 17-4 run by Marshall, gave them a 30-22 lead with just under nine minutes remaining. The two teams traded baskets and a pair of Jarron West free throw’s put Marshall up 46-37 at the break.
To start the second half, Ohio went on a 17-4 run of their own capped off by a Dartis triple. Dartis had nine points in the run.
Over the next six minutes, the two teams traded points until an Elmore jumper tied the game at 68 with 9:10 left. The two teams traded points again until a steal and dunk by Mickle gave Ohio an 80-75 lead with 5:59 left. Six straight by Marshall, gave the Thundering Herd an 81-80 lead. The two teams traded baskets until the Block tip-in, tied the game.
Mickle had a career high 21-points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and nine of his teams 12 blocks. Kirk chipped in 18 points. Penava had a game-high 33 points and 16 rebounds. C.J. Burks chipped in 31 points and Elmore had a triple double, 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Ohio is back in action on Wednesday when they host Prairie View. Tipoff is set for 7:00.