It took five extra minutes but the Rollins Tars advances to the semifinals of the South Regional with a 89-85 overtime thriller over the Blazers of Valdosta State in the opening round of the NCAA South Regional at Spragins Hall in Huntsville,Alabama Saturday.
Rollins (22-10) had six players score in double figures in the thrilling overtime victory. Jeff Merton led the way with 16 points-Eric Castaneda provided 14 off the bench- Mike Bedulskis nearly had a double-double (13 points and nine rebounds-) Jakobi Bonner scored 13 huge points- Sam Philpott scored 12 points- and- Joey Galvis posted a double-double (10 points- 10 rebounds- three assists- and- three steals.
Rollins shot 48 percent from the floor in the game- 27 percent (6-22) from the 3-point line- and shot 76 percent (25-33) from the free throw line. They had 15 assists and 14 turnovers as a team.
The Blazers were eliminated despite a career high 29 points from Damian Young- Jeremiah Hill provided all 19 of his points in the second half to go along with nine rebounds and seven assists- while Josh Lemons and Saddiq Muhammad each scored 10.
VSU shot 45 percent as a team- went 12-40 (30 percent) from the 3-point line- and shot 69 percent (11-16) from the free throw line. The Blazers won the rebounding battle 39-37. They had 22 assists and 15 turnovers.
Rollins scored the game's first five points and jumped out to a 9-5 lead at the first media timeout. The Tars would score the next seven point capped by a Galvis 3-pointer to make it 16-5 in there favor. They would maintain the lead and lead by as many as 17 (34-17) after a Merton layup at the 4:46 mark of the opening half. The Blazers would trim the lead to 12 (40-28) heading into the locker room.
The second half would see the Tars maintain a double digit lead until a 3-pointer by Lemons would make it 45-37 in favor of the Tars. VSU would battle back and take the lead (53-52) as Young would cap a 7-0 run with a layup at the 9:45 mark of regulation. The game would go back and forth for the next few minutes until Rollins would open up a five point lead (68-63) after a pair of Bonner free throws with just under six minutes to go. VSU would tie it on a Young 3-pointer a couple minutes later before Bonner gave the Tars the lead back with a pair more free throws at the 3:43 mark. Connor McKim would extend the Tars lead to four before five straight points by VSU would give them the lead back (73-72) after a Lemons layup at the 2:33 mark. The Tars would quickly regain the lead on a pair of Galvis free throws on the next trip. After a split pair of free throws by Rollins the game would be tied at 75 when Young made a layup at the 1:02 mark of regulation. Bedulskis would knock down a pair of free throws with 42 ticks left to give the Tars a two point lead. Young would knot the game at 77 on a pair of free throws with four seconds to go. Rollins then turned the ball over and survived regulation as the seventh seeded Tars and second seeded Blazers went into overtime.
The Blazers would score the first five points of the extra session and led 82-77 with 3:17 to go but the Tars battled back as they have all season long. The next eight points would go the Tars way as a Merton 3-pointer would give them the lead (85-82) with 1:44 to go in the overtime. Hill would tie it with a 3-pointer 23 seconds later. Castaneda would get to the free throw line for Rollins and split a pair to give them the lead (86-85) with just under a minute to go in overtime. After a Galvis steal the Tars would call timeout and Connor McKim would drive the lane and give them a three point lead (88-85) with 11 seconds to go. Castaneda would "seal it" for the Tars with a steal and a free throw.
Rollins will next play third seeded Delta State in the South Regional Semifinals Sunday. Tip time is set for 6 PM Eastern time. You can catch the game on the Geico Tars Sports Network at 91.5 FM WPRK and worldwide at RollinsSports.com
Other South Region Scores:
#3 Delta State 80 #6 Christian Brothers 67
#1 Alabama- Huntsville 96 #8 Clark-Atlanta 81
#4 Barry 91 #5 Eckerd 87
Sunday's Regional Semifinals:
#3 Delta State vs #7 Rollins
#1 Alabama Huntsville vs #4 Barry
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