KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Dec. 17, 2016) – The Widener University men's basketball team fell to the United States Merchant Marine Academy by an 87-86 score in overtime at Liebertz Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
 
With the score knotted at 76 after Matt Miller nailed a jump shot, Widener had the ball with the opportunity to go for the last shot and win the game at the end of regulation. Junior Sardayah Sambo (Middletown, Del.) rebounded a missed 3-pointer attempted from the right corner by classmate Sam Smith (Wyomissing, Pa.), but his putback attempt at the buzzer rimmed out to force an extra session.
 
USMMA (4-7) capitalized in overtime and was able to escape by winning the battle at the free throw line. Hunter Jones first broke the tie by making a jump shot on the Mariners opening possession to begin a 6-0 run for the hosts during the frame.
 
Senior captain John Fender (Wallingford, Pa.), who was making his first start of the season, then helped Widener come back by finishing an old-fashioned 3-point play and had the opportunity to tie the game by earning another trip to the free throw line with 29 seconds remaining. But after making his first shot, his second attempt to knot the game again was no good. Robbie Kennedy grabbed the rebound and then made three clutch free throws down the stretch to allow the hosts to hang on for the victory.
 
The teams played a game of leap frog for nearly the entire the first half, exchanging the lead 13 times overall and on nine occasions in the opening six minutes. Smith made it a two-possession game for the first time by canning a 3-pointer to give the Pride a 19-15 edge with 12:44 left, but the Mariners responded and found themselves ahead by a 26-25 score when Eric Sobocinski finished a pass from Matt Miller.
 
Widener (5-5), however, broke loose over the final minutes of the opening frame by dialing up from long distance. Sophomore Donovan Simon (Clayton, N.J.) hit a trey with 5:49 on the clock to put the Pride ahead for good and followed with a jumper to break a 28-all tie. Sophomore Ryan McMahon (Mount Laurel, N.J.) and Smith each connected from beyond the arc down the stretch to help give the visitors a 40-35 advantage heading into the recess.
 
The Pride picked up where they left off and added to their lead in the beginning of the second half. After sophomore Nick Jackson (Rockville, Md.) opened the scoring by sinking a trifecta, Sambo converted two free throws to put Widener up by twin figures for the first time at 50-39.
 
USMMA (4-7) fought back and regained the lead when Miller converted a 3-pointer to put his team ahead by a 67-66 score with just over six minutes left, but the Pride had a quick answer on the other end. Kennedy, however, made two shots at the charity stripe to put the Mariners ahead again with five minutes remaining and set up a photo finish that would eventually end in extra time.
 
Miller scored a game-high 26 points and dished out four assists to lead the way for USMMA, which made seven of its 11 free throw attempts in the extra frame which proved to be the difference. He also shot 9-of-13 from the field and 6-of-8 from long distance. Kennedy contributed 17 points off the bench, which most notably included going 11-of-12 from the stripe and converting seven of his eight attempts in overtime. Connor Green added 18 points and four helpers.

The Pride were paced by Smith in the setback. The junior scored a career-high 22 points and most notably made six shots from beyond the arc. Sambo fell just shy of a double-double with 20 points and nine rebounds to go along with four assists, while Jackson finished the game in twin figures by netting 10 points.

 Widener (5-5) returns to action on Monday, Jan. 2 when it faces Cortland State in its opening game of the Blue Jay Invitational on the campus of Johns Hopkins. The opening tip is slated for 1 p.m.