Oglethorpe University junior Alex Richey scored 34 points and
sophomore Todd Ward added 18 points, 15 rebounds and a key
defensive play down the stretch as the Stormy Petrels escaped the
Woodruff PE Center with a double-overtime win over Emory Monday
evening. Oglethorpe raised its record to 4-3 following a 97-93
verdict over the Eagles who saw their overall ledger dip to
4-3.
Leading the Emory effort was senior Daniel Curtin who totaled a
season-high 19 points on seven-of-14 field goal shooting, including
five-of-nine from three-point range. Sophomore guard Austin
Claunch played all 50 minutes and registered 18 points while doling
out seven assists. Rounding out the squad's double-figure
scorers were freshman Alex Greven (13 pts.), seniors Anthony
Fernandez (11 pts.) and Chad Hixon (11 pts.), and junior Julien
Williams (11 pts.). Fernandez tallied eight of his points in
the extra sessions and Williams ended the evening as the team's
leading rebounder with nine boards.
Despite converting just one-of-11 attempts from beyond the arc,
Oglethorpe shot 54.0 percent from the field (34-of-63) on the night
and sank 28-of-36 from the charity stripe. Emory posted a field
goal percentage effort of 40.5 percent (32-of-79) and was
successful from distance, knocking down 15-of-31 three-point
attempts. The Eagles were successful on 14-of-19 from the
foul line.
Behind 11 first-half points from Curtin and seven from Williams,
Emory staked itself to a 32-27 lead at halftime. Back-to-back
triples by Claunch and senior Chad Hixon helped the Eagles to what
would be their biggest margin in the game, 38-29, with 18:27
left.
However, a three-point play by OU's Erik Strong closed out a
10-0 Stormy Petrel run and allowed the visitors to take a one-point
lead with 15:40 on the clock Emory fought back to take
a five-point lead following a Curtin trey, but Oglethorpe managed
to knot the affair at 56-56 with 7:45 remaining. The scored
was tied at 64-64 before five straight points by the visitors put
them ahead, 69-64, with 2:44 on the clock. Undaunted, the
Eagles responded with a 7-0 spree that was capped by a Hixon
three-pointer that gave Emory a two-point margin with 1:24
left. Oglethorpe's Wade Weldon tied the contest with 30
seconds remaining, and each team came up empty handed in their
final possessions of regulation that forced an extra session.
In the first overtime, a steal and subsequent bucket by Alec Pitts gave Oglethorpe a three-point lead, 76-73, but a basket by Hixon, followed by a trey by Greven, pushed Emory back ahead, 78-77, with just 1:11 left. Oglethorpe took advantage of a bucket by Ward and a pair of free throws by Richey to take a 81-78 lead with 22 ticks on the clock, but a dramatic three-pointer by sophomore Alex Gulotta with nine seconds left deadlocked the teams once again and force the second extra frame.
A three-point play by Fernandez erased an Oglethorpe lead and
gave the Eagles a slim 93-92 edge with 1:02 on the clock. The
Petrels then went ahead for good with 45 seconds remaining when
Richey scored. After Emory missed a three-point shot, Richey
hit a pair from the foul line to boost OU's lead to three
points. Emory's attempt to tie the game was stymied when Ward
blocked the three-point shot with four seconds remaining.
Oglethorpe got the rebound and then made a free throw to close out
the game's scoring.
Throughout the game, the score was tied 15 times and there were 18
lead changes.
Emory returns to action on December 17 when it hosts Greensboro
College in a 7:00 p.m. tip.