University of North Florida
GARDNER-WEBB
UNF falls on buzzer-beater
1/30/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 30, 2006
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb men's basketball team relied on a pair of improbable plays to cap an unbelievable comeback win over North Florida at Porter Arena on Monday night in Atlantic Sun Conference action.
The Bulldogs (11-9, 8-5 A-Sun) used a pair of buzzer- beater 3-pointers - the first by T.J. McCullough to end the first half and the other on a 28-footer by Brian Bender as time expired - to earn a 69-68 win in a game where they never led until the final horn.
UNF (5-15, 2-11 A-Sun) raced out to an early lead, and led by as many as 13 points in the second half, but it couldn't hold on down the stretch - succumbing to an 11-1 Gardner-Webb run over the final 2:47.
Bender finished with 22 points, including 13 in the second half, to lead the Bulldogs. Rashad Williams had 25 points and Alain Laroche 21 for UNF.
"Experienced teams make big shots, and they are very experienced at playing in tight games," UNF head coach Matt Kilcullen said. "We had a great defensive gameplan and did what we wanted to do. Even on the last play (Bender's 3-pointer), Alain Laroche had a hand in the guy's face. He defended it as well as it could be defended. Bender just hit the shot. You can't ask for any more than our guys gave tonight."
UNF raced out to a quick 6-0 lead out of the gates and stretched that advantage to 30-15 with 4:42 to play before halftime. Gardner-Webb was able to chip away at that deficit and cut its halftime margin to 34- 25 after McCullough drove the length of the floor and nailed a running 3-pointer as time expired.
In the second half, the Bulldogs continued with more of the same - going on an 8-2 run out of the gates to slice their deficit to 38-35 with 14:03 to play. From there, UNF took control.
The Ospreys rode the backs of Williams and Laroche to push their lead back to 13 points - 57-44 with 10:10 remaining - and led 67-58 with 2:47 to play. They wouldn't score another basket and managed just two more field goal attempts, however - getting their lone point on a David Ashwell free throw with 3.4 seconds remaining.
That came after McCullough missed a potential game- tying free throw with five seconds to go. Ashwell grabbed the rebound and was fouled - hitting the front end of his two shots. His second misfired, and after a pair of timeouts, the Bulldogs inbounded the ball at midcourt with 1.8 seconds remaining.
Bender caught and fired from 28 feet, dropping the shot neatly into the basket to send the crowd of 1,000 into frenzy.
"Our guys played so hard and so well," Kilcullen said. "We didn't makes plays and didn't finish at the free throw line late, but we could have won. Their guys used their experience and found a way. Give them credit."
UNF shot 48 percent for the game, including 55 percent in the second half. Gardner-Webb shot 27 percent in the first half but finished at 41 percent for the game after a torrid second half.
Gardner-Webb outrebounded the Ospreys, 35-28 - including a 17-9 margin in the second half.
Simon Conn added 18 points and 13 rebounds for GWU - the only other player in double figures for either team. Laroche tallied his fifth double-double of the season, also adding 10 rebounds.
UNF returns to action with a two-game homestand this weekend, facing Kennesaw State on Friday at 7 p.m. and East Tennessee State on Sunday at 2 p.m. - both at UNF Arena. Both games will be aired locally on WIOJ-AM 1010 in Jacksonville and via the World Wide Web at www.UNFOspreys.com.
