MBB
Mitchell Layton
73
Marist Marist 0-1,0-0 MAAC
77
Winner American Americ 1-0,0-0 Patriot
Marist Marist
0-1,0-0 MAAC
73
Final
77
American Americ
1-0,0-0 Patriot
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Marist Marist 26 36 11 73
American Americ 24 38 15 77

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Basketball Survives Marist with Gutsy OT Victory

WASHINGTON – It took 45 minutes, but American University men's basketball pulled out a win in its home opener against Marist on Tuesday night in Bender Arena.  

QUICK NOTABLES
  • Stacy Beckton Jr. led the way for AU with 18 points on 6-of-11 from the field.
  • Colin Smalls had a career-high 12 points and four assists.
  • Connor Nelson had nine points on 3-of-4 from the field and a team-high six rebounds.
  • Bender Arena welcomed 1,370 fans for opening night, the largest crowd since Dec. 9, 2017 against Howard (2,213).
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Neither team led by more than four in the first half of action as Marist went into the locker room with a 26-24 lead.
  • Marist built an eight-point lead early in the second half but the Eagles responded.
  • Smalls made a three-pointer right in front of the student section that put AU on top, 40-38, with 12:16 remaining.
  • From there, the Eagles stretched their lead to as many as nine points with 2:18 to go.
  • An 8-0 Marist run was stopped with a triple from Nelson to make it 62-58 with 45 seconds remaining.
  • The Red Foxes picked up a block and a transition layup on the other end to tie the game at 62 to end regulation.
  • In the early part of overtime, Marist appeared in control, holding a four-point lead with less than two minutes to play.
  • Johnny O'Neil managed the response for AU, draining a 3-pointer to draw even before grabbing a steal and getting fouled on the other end of the floor. He calmly made both free throws to put AU on top, 70-68, with 43 seconds to play.
  • American went 9-of-10 from the free-throw line in the final minute to clinch the victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
  • The Eagles start the season 1-0 for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign when they topped George Mason in Fairfax in the opener.
  • The game featured six ties and 16 lead changes.
  • After shooting 40.7 percent from the field in the first half, AU shot 55.6 percent from the field in the second half.
  • Eijah Stephens made his collegiate debut, dishing a team-high six assists and making five free throws in overtime.
UP NEXT
  • American will begin a stretch of eight straight games away from Bender Arena on Friday night against William & Mary.
  • Tip-off in Williamsburg, Va., is set for 7 PM.
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