Sports
Heartbreak
By: Duncan Goldberg, Mitchell Lyons
Posted on:
The Ohio Bobcats had their lone senior at the line, shooting two for a chance to give them the lead with five seconds remaining.
Mike Laster missed both free throws.
Two overtimes later, the Ohio Bobcats (9-13, 2-8) fell 101-98 to the Central Michigan Chippewas (15-8, 4-6) on Saturday.
A James Gollon and-one put Ohio up 10 with 3:17 remaining to put Ohio up 72-62. Gollon got the start for the injured Jordan Dartis, who missed the game with a hip injury. Gollon had 13 points, six rebounds and five assists in his first career start.
A pair of free throws by Teyvion Kirk gave Ohio a 76-67 advantage with 2:37 remaining.
Ballgame.
Or so we thought.
The Chippewas outscored Ohio 10-1 over the final 2:37 and tied the game.
A Kevin McKay layup tied the game at 77 with 29 seconds left. On Ohio’s next possession, Laster drove to the hoop but was called for a charge. After reviewing the play, the call was changed to a block, giving Laster two free throws. But he missed them both.
Ohio as a team was 16-31 from the foul line.
With just 1:23 remaining in the first overtime, Gavin Block hit a pair of free throws, to put Ohio up 86-82. Cecil Williams tied the game with 38 seconds remaining.
Laster had a chance to make up for his missed three with 12 seconds remaining. And he did. Laster hit a corner three to put Ohio up 89-86. But the lead lasted six seconds. Williams buried another three to tie the game and send it into a second overtime.
In the second overtime Shawn Roundtree, hit a layup to give Central Michigan a 95-93 lead with 2:33 remaining. True freshman A.J. Gareri hit a corner three to give Ohio the one-point lead. But that is the last lead they had.
Mike Laster hit a layup and was fouled to tie the game at 98, with 15 seconds left. But he, once again, missed the free throw. On the ensuing possession, Gareri fouled David Dileo on a three-point attempt. Dileo hit all three, securing the win for Central Michigan.
Ohio was playing without Dartis and Kevin Mickle, who both missed the game with injuries, so Ohio played with a seven-man rotation. Laster and Kirk, who fouled out, had 24 points each for Ohio. Gavin Block had 16 points and eight rebounds and Doug Taylor chipped in 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Williams had a game-high 27 points. Roundtree had 22 points, Luke Meyer added 14 points and McKay chipped in 13.
Former Ohio head coach and current Akron head coach John Groce makes his return to the Convocation Center on Tuesday. Tipoff is set for 7p.m.