MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – The host SUNY Morrisville men's basketball team captured a thrilling United East win Saturday afternoon over visiting Gallaudet University, using two overtime periods to earn a hard fought 87-78 victory on their home court in Morrisville to pick up their first league win of the season.

THE BASICS:

• Final Score: Morrisville 87, Gallaudet 78 – 2 OT (halftime: Gallaudet 36-33)
• Location: STUAC Gymnasium, Morrisville, N.Y.
• Records: Morrisville 5-6, 1-2 United East; Gallaudet 1-11, 0-3 United East

 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Host SUNY Morrisville went point-for-point with the visiting Bison in the second half after trailing by three at the break to force two extra periods and converted from the free throw line in the second overtime to collect the 87-78 thrilling United East win Saturday afternoon on their home court in Morrisville.
• Three collected double digits for Morrisville, including senior Tron Smith (Brooklyn, N.Y.) who poured in 25 to go along with five rebounds and five assists.
• Jordan Coard (Jamaica, N.Y.) added 20, completing the double-double with a season high 16 rebounds, while teammate Shykell Brown (Rochester, N.Y.) added 17 points and six boards.
• Morrisville, who was behind 36-33 at the break, trailed by five with 3:29 to go in the second before netting back-to-back fast break layups from Brandon Kulakowski (Brewerton, N.Y.) and Brown off turnovers to make it a one point game with two to go.
• Gallaudet extended the lead to three with a layup of their own and maintained that distance until Brown hit both from the free throw line with 34 seconds to go to bring the Mustangs within one.
• A costly Bison turnover returned possession to the Mustangs, where Kulakowski stepped to the line to hit the front end of two and tie the contest at 70 with 12 ticks to go and a last second Morrisville effort for the win rolled off the rim forcing the first overtime period.
• Gallaudet jumped out to a four-point lead early on before Brown drained one from behind the arc on the wing to make it a one-point ball game with 3:34 showing on the clock.
• After exchanging possessions, Coard pulled the game even at 74 with one from the charity stripe at the 2:14 mark.
• Coard, down the stretch, snagged a huge offensive rebound for the putback for Morrisville and two-point lead with 39 ticks to go, but Gallaudet's Preston Kelly responded to knot the game at 76 and send the contest into the second overtime period.
• The hosts took the lead a minute as Smith hit the backend of a two-shot free throw opportunity and added to the lead as Coard hit two more on the ensuing Mustang possession for the 79-76 advantage.
• The Mustangs hit the offensive glass hard with under three to go in the frame, and on one possession snagged four boards for second chance opportunities, converting with a Coard layup after collecting two straight rebounds with two to go.
• Smith added a layup with 1:29 showing on the clock to extend the Mustangs lead to seven, before Blessed Mbogo attempted a late rally for the visitors with a jumper with 1:04 remaining.
• The Mustangs, though, showed their strength from the free throw line down the stretch as Brown hit all four opportunities to extend the lead to nine, earning the hard-fought win to pick up their first league victory of the season.
• Morrisville hit 7-of-8 from the charity stripe in the second overtime period and were 23-of-31 across the contest.
• The Mustangs collected 32 points off turnovers across the contest, forcing Gallaudet into 27 miscues, while hitting the floor for 18 fast break points and glass for 22 second chance tallies.

 
WHAT'S NEXT:
 

• Morrisville will return to the court Wednesday, traveling to Wells College for a 7 p.m. league outing.

 
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