Jan. 10, 2009

Box Score

WASHINGTON - The American University men's basketball team opened Patriot League play on Saturday with a thrilling 76-66 overtime win over Lehigh in Bender Arena. AU overpowered the Mountain Hawks in the overtime period 12-2 to take the victory after Lehigh had tied the game on a Marquis Hall three ball with 27 seconds remaining in regulation. Derrick Mercer led four Eagles in double-digits with 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting and Garrison Carr scored five of AU's 12 points in the extra period.

Lehigh staked itself to a 10-2 lead to open the game but a 10-2 run by the Eagles quickly tied the game at 12 with 9:47 remaining. Mercer scored five points during the three-minute stretch, connecting on a three-pointer to begin the run and then scoring on a lay-in to end it. AU took its first lead of the game just one minute later on a Nick Hendra layup, 14-12.

The Mountain Hawks bounced back with a 14-2 run of their own, powered by two Hall three-pointers, and took a 10 point lead over the Eagles, 26-16, with just 3:41 remaining in the half. Over the final two minutes though AU took over the momentum and finished off the half on an 8-3 run. A fast break layup by Bryce Simon and resulting free-throw brought the crowd of 2,565 in Bender Arena to its feet with 1:50 to play before a Brian Gilmore fast break layup off an assist from Carr brought the Eagles to within two on the scoreboard, 30-28. Michael Ojo added a free-throw for Lehigh with one second remaining to send the team's into the half with the Mountain Hawks leading by three, 31-28.

American carried the momentum it had built at the end of the first half into the second and jumped all over the Mountain Hawks with 12 unanswered points to take a nine point lead, 40-31. Lehigh cut the AU lead to five points but American would push its advantage back to ten points, its largest lead of the afternoon, when Stephen Lumpkins sank two free-throws to make the score 60-50 with 5:51 remaining. Lehigh clawed its way back into the game in the final minutes, tying the game at 64-64 as Marquis Hall drained a three-pointer with 27 seconds left in regulation. The Eagles held the ball for the last shot but were unable to win the game when Garrison Carr forced a three as time expired to send the game into overtime.

The Eagles dominated the extra session from the tip en route to the 10 point victory. Jordan Nichols gave American a 67-64 lead when he converted a lay up and free throw with 3:45 remaining, a lead the Eagles would not relinquish for the remainder of the afternoon. A Lehigh jumper with 2:27 remaining in the overtime cut the Eagles lead to 69-66, which was as close as Lehigh would get. A Garrison Carr layup and free throw extended the American lead to eight, and two Frank Borden free throws with 14 seconds left iced the victory for the Eagles.

The win is American's fourth in a row, all coming by double digits. It was the Eagles first overtime game since a 64-58 win at Colgate on Feb. 11, 2007. This was the fifth win for the Eagles in eight Patriot League openers and improves the team to 7-1 all time in PL home openers.

Mercer scored a team-high 15 points for the Eagles and dished out a game-high six assists. The senior made 5-of-7 seven shots from the field and grabbed three rebounds. Gilmore tallied 14 points and seven rebounds. Carr and Borden each also finished in double-digits with 12 points and 10 points, respectively. Five of Carr's points came in overtime. Nichols led the team with nine rebounds, including five on the offensive end.

American's season-long four game homestand wraps up this Wednesday in Bender Arena as the Eagles continue Patriot League play against Bucknell. The Eagles and Bison split the season series a year ago with each team winning on their home floor. Tip off is set for 7:30pm. Tickets are available for the game and can be purchased by clicking here.