Worcester, MA- The first-seeded Worcester State Lancers (17-9, 10-2 MASCAC) tipped off against the fourth-seeded Bridgewater State Bears (14-11, 9-3 MASCAC) in the MASCAC Championship game.

PREGAME NOTES:

• The season series between these two teams finished tied (1-1). The Lancers defeated Bridgewater mid-January in a second-half comeback by a score of 84-79. The Bears sought revenge defeating Worcester in a convincing victory at home 93-61 in Bridgewater.

• Lancer junior forward Aaron Nkrumah (Worcester, MA) finished tied for first in the conference with twenty points per game. Against MCLA in the conference semifinals against MCLA the Preseason All-American scored fifteen points along with twelve rebounds and two steals in a 76-52 victory.

• Bears senior guard Precious Okoh (Brockton, MA) wrapped up his season scoring 19.5 points per game in fifteen contests. In the semifinals against Westfield St. Pkoh dropped twenty-five points adding ten assists and four rebounds.  

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The opening half to this intense MASCAC Championship lived up to its expectations as the one-seeded Lancers faced off against the two-seeded Bridgewater St. Bears. Worcester started the game off on a roll taking a 10-2 early lead. Graduate student Zion Hendrix (Alexandria, VA) drained a three-pointer, scoring the Lancers first points of the afternoon. Senior guard Sam Dion (Barre, MA) joined Hendrix, splashing a three of his own to start the Lancers off hot. The Bears were determined to not let this one get out of hand early as Bears senior Precious Okoh (Brockton, MA) drained a three to chip away at the early Lancer run. Senior Justin Parsons (Portsmouth, RI) joined the three-point party, splashing one of his own to tie the game 14-14. Seven minutes remained before Bears first year Josh Campbell (Plymouth, MA) hit a corner three giving his team the first lead 23-20 since the opening bucket. Parsons again would hit a three to give the Bears an eight-point lead heading into the half.

Okoh finished the half with twelve points, seven rebounds, and two assists. Teammate Emerson Halbleib (Carmel, IN) had six rebounds, and two assists.

Lancers center senior Ryan Rubenskas (Bridgewater, MA) had eight points with five rebounds. Junior Brandon Goris (Bronx, NY) entered the half with eight points with one steal.

The beginning of the second half was the complete opposite of what ensued in the first. Bridgewater made a big run scoring a quick five points to jump out to a 44-37 lead three minutes into the game.  Goris ended the run by stripping the ball out of the Bear player's hands, finding Nkrumah to cut the lead to 44-39. Sophomore Louis Jennings (Walpole, MA), feeling it from downtown, drained another three to quiet the intense Lancer crowd. Goris, making his defensive impact felt, blocked a shot, leading to a Lancer bucket from Hendrix cutting the deficit to four. Okoh brought passion and intensity to the court, attempting to see his team to a championship, and swished a three to bring the lead back to seven. Rubenskas answered with four points on two straight possessions before being matched by another Okoh three to kill off the run. An intense back and forth would continue to take place in this high stakes game. 

Nkrumah launched a three to take the Lancers first lead since early in the first half with five minutes remaining. Halbleib answered with a slam to give the lead right back to Bridgewater. Parsons popped another three on the evening to give the Bears a five point lead. Nkrumah answered with a big three of his own to bring them within one. Rubenskas would go for the slam to make the score 69-68 in crunch time. Nkrumah was called for a shooting foul on the drive, seeing Nkrumah out of the game with his fifth personal foul, sending Okoh to the line, where he made the and one to take a two point lead. Now in desperation mode, the Lancers fouled first year Josh Cambell (Plymouth, MA) for a one-and -one as the first-year gave his team the three-point lead. Marching down the court with seven seconds left Sam Davies launched a deep three to tie the game, in a season defining moment to bring the Lancers in OT. 

It's only right for the two top-seeded teams to go wire to wire with and force the MASCAC Championship into overtime action. Dion started off overtime with a steal on Bears sophomore Dante Kikuba (Framingham, MA), leading to a Rubenskas lay-up from Davies. Hablieb was fouled, sending him to the line for two shots, only making one, the score would settle at 75-74. Hendrix hit a critical three to pull ahead 78-74 while the Bear's Campbell was fouled making one shot at the line bringing the score to 78-76. Okoh driving to the lane elevated for a layup was called for a foul while making the shot. He proceeded to make the free throw in enemy territory to put his team up one with forty-six seconds remaining in the championship. In the next possession, Hendrix as ball handler for Worcester, tossed a pass that was stolen by Kikuba who read the play perfectly with the Bears getting a shot off, which bounced off the rim to be collected by Hablieb who went back up with the ball as he scored, but a goaltending charge negated the basket for the Bears and returned possession to Worcester State in the final seconds.Bringing the ball up the court with sixteen seconds remaining, the ball found Rubenskas who swung it to regulation hero Sam Davies with the guard driving the lane and making the go-ahead layup with twenty-three seconds to secure the Championship for the Lancers as a last second three point attempt by Parson would fall well short of the basket. 

Precious Okoh finished the afternoon off with twenty-two points, adding nine rebounds and three assists. Emerson Halbeib scored seventeen points with thirteen rebounds.

Lancers Ryan Rubenskas was named MASCAC Tournament MVP, ending the day with twenty-two points, twelve rebounds, and two assists for his ninth double-double season. Teammate Brandon Goris had nineteen points with two rebounds.

WHAT'S NEXT:

With the victory, the Lancers punched their ticket to the NCAA DIII Tournament where they will await their fate on Monday during the selection show to air at 1 pm on NCAA.com.