CHESTER, Pa. (Feb. 1, 2017) – The Widener University men's basketball team dropped a Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth matchup to Lebanon Valley by a 79-73 score in overtime on Wednesday evening. The seesaw battle, which was played in front of the largest crowd at the Schwartz Center in recent memory, featured 17 ties and 17 lead changes before the Dutchmen were able to pull away in the extra session.
 
The teams played a one-possession game throughout the second half which came down to the final play. Senior John Fender (Wallingford, Pa.) drove through traffic and converted a layup to put the Pride up by a 56-54 score with 4:36 remaining in regulation, but the Dutchmen answered back by hitting five free throws at the other end to pull ahead. With the hosts trailing by two, however, Fender got himself back to the free throw line and hit both shots with 12 seconds remaining to even the score at 62. The Pride then got the defensive stop they needed, and the teams headed to overtime.
 
Widener's momentum carried over into the extra frame, as freshman Connor Laverty (Upper Township, N.J.) finished a pass from senior Kendall Green (Mount Laurel, N.J.) to put the hosts back ahead by a 64-62 score. Lebanon Valley, however, utilized the hot hands of Andy Orr and Sam Light to recover and run away. The duo combined to net 15 of the team's 17 points in the extra session, and the Dutchmen walked out of the gym with the six-point win.
 
The Pride built up their largest lead of the night during a tight first half when Green converted a jumper after grabbing a defensive rebound on the other end to make it 19-13 with 4:02 remaining in the frame. But after the quick setback, the Dutchmen chipped away and ended the half on a 10-4 run by most notably getting a buzzer-beating layup from Chris Anderson to send the teams to the locker room tied at 23 and set the stage for the remainder of a long night.
 
Orr paced Lebanon Valley (13-8, MAC Commonwealth 7-5) by registering 31 points and 11 rebounds, which was also his third double-double in the last four games. Light also provided a spark by adding 29 points, which included shooting 17-of-18 at the line, and also provided four steals.
 
Junior Sam Smith (Wyomissing, Pa.) registered his first career double-double by scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to lead the way for Widener, which entered the night having won four straight games and five of its last six. Fender contributed 19 points and a career-high nine boards, while junior Sardayah Sambo (Middletown, Del.) and Green finished with 16 and 13 points, respectively.
 
Widener (11-9, MAC Commonwealth 5-6) will look to remain in playoff contention when it visits Stevenson for a matinee on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 2 p.m.