Medaille Men Break Through in Thrilling Fashion

(Utica, NY) – With thoughts still fresh from last year, the Medaille men's basketball team traveled to Campus Center Gymnasium, to face the SUNYIT Wildcat team that knocked them out of the second round of the 2010 NCAA tournament. With no time left on the clock, and a chance to win the game, senior guard Ricky Reed (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta) connected on his first free throw and gave Medaille (1-2) a thrilling one-point (75-74) victory, to win its first game of the season.

The first half belonged to the Wildcats, as SUNYIT would lead by as many as (15) points, shooting a remarkable (58.6%) from the field, while also going (9-9) from the free throw line. However, Medaille would cut the lead down to (10) going into the break, shooting (55.6%) from the field, including (45.5%) from beyond the three-point line.

The second half saw the Mavericks slowly climb back into the game with stifling defense, limiting SUNYIT to just (34.6%) shooting, and continuing to shoot the ball well from the floor. Then, with (3:04) remaining, junior guard Angel Flores (Bronx, NY/Samuel Gompers) would nail a jumper to tie the game at (69) for the first time since the (17:00) mark of the first half.

From their the dramatics started to unfold, as both teams would trade the lead heading to the end of regulation. After two Wildcat free throws, the game was knotted-up at (74) with just five ticks remaining on the clock.

Reed took the inbounds pass the length of the court, and heaved up a desperation shot that would fall short as time expired. However, Alex Grimmer, who had just subbed into the game (5) seconds earlier, was called for the foul, and sent Reed to the line with the chance to win it with no time remaining on the clock. Reed, who finished with a team-high (15) points, converted on his first attempt and dropped the pre-season (19) Wildcats to (0-2).

Junior forward David Shuey (Newfane, NY/Newfane) would add (12) points, and senior Ron Malicki (Machias, NY/Pioneer) also chipped in with (11) points and (4) boards.

The win improves the Mavericks to (1-2) on the season, and will next face Cazenovia College at home on Saturday, November 27 at 3:00 pm.