GORHAM, Me. - Seniors
Ryan Alkins (Queens, N.Y.) and
Jaheim Young (Brooklyn, N.Y.) notched 20 and 19 points, respectively, but it wasn't enough as the Western Connecticut State University men's basketball squad dropped a double overtime decision at the University of Southern Maine, 91-84, in its regular season finale at Hill Gym on Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, the Wolves dropped to 21-4 overall and 12-4 in league play, while the Huskies improved to 16-9 and 10-6. WestConn had already secured a first round bye and the No. 2 seed in the upcoming LEC Postseason Tournament slated to begin on Tuesday. The Wolves will meet a quarterfinal winner when they host a semifinal matchup on Thursday. Keene State owns the top seed in the tournament and will host the other semifinal contest.
The visitors dominated the hosts on the glass, finishing with a 54-39 advantage. However, Southern Maine sank 13-of-38 (34 percent) of its three-point attempts while WestConn hit just 6-of-25 (24 percent).
The Wolves burst out the gate to grab a 14-6 lead. Rookie guard
Jaysean Morgan (Poughkeepsie, N.Y) rounded out the spurt with a steal and a layup. However, the Huskies stormed back and would seize a 45-31 halftime advantage.
WestConn trimmed the deficit to just four points with 4:56 remaining in regulation when Young converted a three-point play after hitting a layup and the ensuing free throw attempt.
Moments later, junior guard
Jalen Jackson (Brick, N.J.) - who finished with 13 points - drained a trifecta while being hacked. He would sink the shot from the charity stripe to earn the four-point play, deadlocking the count at 72-72. The Wolves nearly locked up the contest in regulation but a pair of shots from beyond-the-arc came up just short in the final minute, forcing the first extra session.
Down by one with 21 second left in overtime, WestConn sophomore guard
Keeshawn Jones (Middletown, N.Y.) knocked down a pair from the stripe, knotting it at 77-77, sending the game into double overtime.
But the Huskies scored the final six points of the contest to seal the win.
WestConn will look to continue its stellar season on Thursday night at Feldman Arena.
