Worcester, MA --- Freshman Noris Cuevas-Nova (Amherst, MA) drained the game-winning basket with 1:22 left and forced the deciding turnover which helped propel Worcester State to a 72-70 victory over Fisher in non-conference men's basketball action this afternoon at WPI's Harrington Auditorium.
In the win the Lancers have now earned their second straight triumph to improve to 3-9 on the campaign while the Falcons slip to 7-11 in the setback.
With the contest tied up 65-65 with 4:28 left in regulation, junior Brendan Rios (Easthampton, MA) converted a trifecta for the hosts before Fisher freshman Darrell Grady (Staten Island, NY) drained a trey to help equalize the closely contested game seconds later.
Over the next two minutes, the Lancers were blocked out by the stingy Falcon defense beneath the basket as junior Chris Green (Middle Island, NY) and classmate Ernest McNeil (Boston, MA/Lasell College) were both forces in the paint.
However on the second rejection, WSU senior Dane Jobst (Athol, MA) caught his own carom and sank a lay-up with 1:45 remaining for the 70-68 game.
McNeil took the game into his own hands and promptly knotted the score on a lay-up just 19 ticks later to set the stage for Nova who netted the contest-clinching points.
Following two miscues by both teams in the waning moments, Fisher had a good look on a jump shot with 12 seconds on the clock and got the ball back with a deflection out of bounds.
In the final possession, Cuevas-Nova came from behind to force sophomore Tyler Schular (Norwalk, CT) to cough the ball up right into the hands of junior Charles Gunter (Boston, MA/New Mission) who dribbled out the clock and seal up the hard-fought win.
Worcester State originally led by eight twice in the opening half and held the 22-15 margin with 10:16 left in the first stanza.
Fisher though took control with trifectas by Grady and Shular in a 15-4 outburst which led to the 30-26 score seven minutes later.
After two ties over the final 3:34, Grady buried another three-pointer with 48 seconds left and WSU first-year Paul Brooks (Arlington, MA) converted two baskets in the paint as the Falcons led 35-34 at the intermission.
The largest lead for either team was the Lancers in the final frame. The hosts saw a 50-45 advantage with 14:37 on the clock evaporate and an exciting contest ensued until its conclusion.
There were seven ties and a trio of lead changes until freshman Marquez McKreith-Collins (Springfield, MA) used a dribble drive move to equalize the score at 65-65 with just under five minutes in the game.
Jobst put up his seventh double-double in 12 games this season with game highs of 19 points and 18 rebounds. Rios hit three triples and finished with 14 points while Gunter added eight for WSU. Rios and Gunter also combined for six of the squads 14 assists.
Grady paced the visitors with a squad-high 16 points off a 5-for-7 line from the field as he was perfect from beyond the arc (3-for-3) and at the charity stripe (3-for-3). Shular had a solid all-around game with 14 points, four boards and four assists and McNeil chipped in with 12 points to go with his team-best seven boards.
The Lancers connected for nearly half of their shots for the game (48 percent – 30-for-63) while the Falcons nearly matched the effort with a 44 percent effort from the floor (27-for-62). Fisher also drilled eight of their 16 bids from three-point land.
WSU also finished with slim leads in rebounds (36-34), offensive boards (12-11), points in the paint (38-34), points off turnovers (14-12) and second-chance baskets (18-14).
Both squads will play again on Saturday. Worcester State hosts MCLA in their MASCAC opener at Harrington Auditorium with a 7 PM tip-off as the Falcons take the trek up to UMaine Machias.
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