Jan. 4, 2014
Final Stats
Courtesy of Anthony Jeffries SAU Sports Information
RALEIGH, NC - Joel Kindred scored 19 points including one of three free throws with 0.3 seconds remaining in overtime as Saint Augustine's University came back from a 21-point second-half deficit to slip past Elizabeth City State University 77-74 at Emery Gymnasium for its sixth straight men's basketball victory on Saturday.
Senior center Jon Crawley had 17 points and four blocks and junior guard Amere May scored 15 points including two free throws to seal the win for the Falcons (8-3 overall) in their CIAA season opener.
Kindred and May combined to make three consecutive free throws with under a second left in overtime after the Vikings were whistled for a disconcertion violation at the free throw line and the Elizabeth City State bench was charged for a technical foul following the violation.
No opponent shall disconcert (e.g. taunt, bait, gesture or delay) the free throw shooter, according to the NCAA Rule Book. Kindred missed both free throws after drawing a blocking foul, but the violation was called during the second free throw.
Kindred was awarded a third free throw attempt and the senior made it to give the Falcons a 75-74 lead. May knocked down both technical foul shots for the final three-point margin.
Victory seemed improbable for the Falcons when they trailed 57-36 with 10 minutes remaining, but they mounted a furious rally to send the game into overtime. A big block by Crawley, the CIAA blocks leader, led to a Kindred layup for a 64-62 lead with 29 seconds left in regulation. The layup capped a 28-5 surge including 14 consecutive points by the Falcons.
Defense keyed the Falcons' rally. The Falcons held the Vikings to 35 percent shooting in the second half while hitting an impressive 68 percent. The Falcons outscored the Vikings 40-26 in the second half after trailing 39-25 in the first half.
St. Aug held a 65-63 lead in regulation, but Miykael Falcon of the Vikings buried a jumper with two seconds left to tie the game and send it into overtime. In the extra session, freshman guard Anthony Gaskins drilled back-to-back three-pointers for a 73-69 St. Aug lead with two minutes left.
The Vikings re-took the lead at 74-73 with a minute left, but Kindred made one of two free throws to tie the game with 39 seconds left. The Vikings tried to set up for the last shot, but junior forward Tashaun Stockdale came up with a key steal which led to the dramatic finish for the Falcons, who outscored the Vikings 12-9 in overtime.
Dominique Byrd led the way with 20 points followed by Glenn Patterson with 12 for ECSU.
