(boxscore)
2/19/08 -- Widener scored just two points in the final 2:15 of overtime and was dealt a critical 85-81 Commonwealth Conference loss to Albright in Reading, PA.
Widener (19-5, 5-4 CC) grabbed a 79-77 lead with 2:15 remaining when freshman Branden Washington (Elkridge, MD) hit a layup. Washington had a chance to pad the cushion, but missed two crucial free throws with 1:55 left.
That is when the Lions (15-7, 5-4) took over. Andre Murphy, who scored 10 of his team's 13 points in overtime, nailed a jumper with 1:43 to play for a 79-79 tie. After junior Charles Jones (Philadelphia, PA) missed the front end of a 1-and-1 for the Pride, Murphy hit a jumper with 1:11 left for an 81-79 lead.
Widener sophomore Bobby Edmunds (Linwood, PA) had his shot blocked by Taylor Steltz and, following a time out, Albright made it 83-79 with 37 seconds to go on Albert Medoro's layup.
Jeff Sparrow hit 1-of-2 from the line for the Lions with 19 seconds remaining, making it 84-79. Jones made a fast-break layup for an 84-81 margin, but Murphy nailed two from the line with 13 seconds left to ice it.
Murphy ended with 20 points, hitting 6-of-10 from the floor and 8-for-8 from the line over 38 minutes. This helped Albright shoot 51 percent (30-of-59) overall and 4-of-5 in overtime.
Medoro had 21 points and 15 rebounds, Kyle Brudvig was a force in the post with 19 and 10 and Tom Murphy scored 11 points.
Jones netted 22 points for his seventh game this season with at least 20 points. Junior Matt Sosna (Stratford, NJ) had 16 points and seven rebounds with Edmunds adding 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting.
Jones made a layup with 1:03 left in regulation to give Widener a 73-71 lead. Brudvig came right back for Albright, hitting a layup of his own with 53 seconds to go for a tie game.
The Pride again looked to Jones for the lead, but his jumper was blocked by Brudvig. The Lions called two time outs and went for the win. But Andre Murphy had his 3-pointer go in and out, straight up, again bounce on the rim and fall out at the buzzer.
Widener clinched a spot in the conference tournament based on other scenarios. It either will be the No. 2 seed and host Messiah in the semifinals or the No. 3 seed and travel to Albright.
Widener on Saturday hosts Elizabethtown at 3:00 pm in the regular-season finale, preceded by the women's contest at 1:00 pm. A win or loss solely will not determine the Pride's fate.
