Feb. 3, 2010
Box Score
LOCK HAVEN - Lloyd Harrison hit a 3-pointer with 1:31 left in overtime and then converted two clutch free throws with 17 seconds left to lift the Clarion University men's basketball team to an 84-81 win at Lock Haven in PSAC-West men's action Wednesday night.
The Golden Eagles (14-6 overall, 6-1 PSAC-West), winners of six straight including four by three or fewer points, trailed Lock Haven (5-13, 2-5), losers of five straight, 79-77 with 3:03 left in the extra session before tying the game on a Mike Sherry jumper with 2:48 left. Then, after each team had a pair of chances to take the lead, Clarion finally went out in front to stay when Harrison, who scored a team-high 21 points, hit a 3-pointer from the top of the circle making it 82-79.
Lock Haven came right back with an Eric Brennan basket with 28 seconds to play to make it 82-81, but Harrison was there again to put the Golden Eagles up three with two free throws with 17 seconds remaining. The Bald Eagles had one last shot, but a Brennen 3-pointer at the horn was no good.
Clarion, which led by as many as 10 midway through the second half, had a four-point lead, 74-70, with 2:07 left in regulation following a Shameel Carty free throw. But Brennan scored back-to-back baskets sandwiched in between an offensive foul on Carty that took away a basket and fouled Carty out of the game to tie the game at 74 with 1:17 to play in regulation.
The Golden Eagles retook the lead with 55 seconds left on a pair of Jamar Harrison charity shots, but Brennan, who scored a game-high 25 points on 10 of 14 shooting, retied the contest on a jumper with 33 seconds to play.
Lloyd Harrison had a chance to win the game in regulation, but Dalexis Pena blocked his layup attempt just before the horn to force overtime.
Lock Haven grabbed the lead right out of the gate in the extra session before Clarion answered back.
The Bald Eagles were in control early building a 23-10 lead halfway through the first half. But Clarion had the answer in the form of a 25-9 run that gave the Golden Eagles a six-point lead, 42-36, late in the half before Lock Haven cut the deficit to 44-40 at halftime.
But Clarion came out of the lockerroom and extended the advantage to as many as 12, 59-47, with 14:31 to play before Lock Haven righted itself outscoring Clarion 29-17 down in the final 14 minutes of regulation.
Lloyd Harrison added eight rebounds, the fourth time in his last six games he has had at least that many, while adding three assists, three steals and a blocked shot. It was his fifth 20-point game of the season including his third in the last five. Jamar Harrison and Shameel Carty each added 17 points for the Golden Eagles with Carty going 11 of 15 from the free-throw line, while Mike Sherry chipped in with 15 tallies to go over the 800-point mark (805) in his career. Carty completed his fifth double-double of the season and his third in PSAC-West play with a game-high 13 rebounds. Jamar Harrison added eight boards and shot 5 of 9 from the field.
Warren Christian chipped in 19 points, nine rebounds and six blocked shots for Lock Haven, which fell to 2-1 on the year in overtime, with Sharif Bolton adding 12 points. Brennen also contributed seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks and four steals while helping Lock Haven block 13 Golden Eagle shots.
Clarion is back in action at 8 p.m. Saturday when it hosts IUP (18-1, 7-0 PSAC-West) in a first-place showdown at Tippin Gym. The night has been declared a "White Out Tippin" event with all fans asked to wear white and help pack the gym against the rival Crimson Hawks.
NOTES - It is Clarion's first overtime contest since losing 95-90 at home to Slippery Rock Feb. 22 of last year. It was the Golden Eagles first road overtime contest and first overtime win since beating Wheeling Jesuit 94-92 Nov. 20, 2008. It was also Clarion's first road overtime game in PSAC-West play since winning at Slippery Rock 93-90 March 1, 2008 ... The Golden Eagles have now won five of their last six overtime contests and are 10-8 in overtime games since the start of the 1999 season including 3-3 on the road and 2-0 on neutral courts ... Lloyd Harrison has now scored in double figures in 13 straight games, the longest stretch by a Clarion player since Ryan Wells did it 23 times in 2005 ... Lloyd Harrison was 6 of 7 from the free-throw line in the game making him 98 of 123 on the year and tying him with Dave Wojciechowski for the second most free throws in a season by a Golden Eagle point guard since 1981. Wojciechowski was 98 of 118 in 1992 ... Carty's 15 attempted free throws tie for the 16th most in a game at Clarion since 1981 and are the most since Aaron Trail attempted 15 in the overtime loss to Slippery Rock last season. They are the most attempted free throws on the road by a Golden Eagle since Michael Clarke attempted 15 at IUP in 2004 ... Clarion is 6-1 in the PSAC-West for the first time since starting 2003 in 7-1 ... The six-game win streak is Clarions longest in PSAC-West play since winning nine straight in 2000 on its way to the PSAC-West title ... Lloyd Harrison's 20-point game was the 16th by a Clarion player this year, the most in a season since doing it 18 times in 2006.
