NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Life U 77, Talladega 86
Records:Â Life U, 7-1Â (2-0 SSAC); Talladega, 3-4 (2-1 HBCUAC)
TALLADEGA, Ala. — The Life University men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season on Tuesday afternoon, dropping a road contest in overtime to the Tornadoes of Talladega. Despite last-second heroics from Shane Stevensen to force OT, the Tornadoes dominated the overtime period.Â
Both teams opened the contest strong, trading buckets in the early minutes. Talladega held a narrow edge of just two at the first media break after Matija Gledic knocked down a three to move the game back to a one possession difference.Â
Life U continued to battle to stay in the contest as the Tornadoes tried to create separation. Though the deficit did reach seven midway through the first half, threes from Brashon Hall and Gledic brought the game back within one with 10:32 to play. The Running Eagles took their first lead of the contest shortly after.
Three-straight buckets from Shane Stevensen, followed by another Gledic three and a layup from Hall gave Life U its largest lead of the half, 39-30, with 02:13 left to play.
Sergio Corta added a last-second layup to close out the half as the Running Eagles carried an eight-point lead into the break. Gledic led all scorers with 11 points and six rebounds in the first while Josh Baugher racked up four assists.
Leading 42-34 coming out of the break, both squads had an extremely slow start to the second. The Tornadoes scored just two buckets in the first five minutes of the half while Life U scored from the floor for the first time with 15:46 left.
The momentum of the contest shifted midway through the second half. The Running Eagles struggles from the floor persisted while Talladega began to put the pieces together. Going on a 15-4 run, the Tornadoes reclaimed the lead as Life U trailed 56-49 with 11:17 left on the clock. Calvin Payton slowed the bleeding with a massive three-pointer just before the under ten media timeout, moving the deficit to four.
Talladega pushed the lead back to eight with 03:21 to play before Maurice Wright cut it down to five with a big shot from beyond the arc. The Tornadoes continued to cash in at the free throw line, trying to keep the Running Eagles at arms length. A pair of free throws and a big bucket from Stevensen once again pulled the game within four.
Hall made it a one-point game once again, knocking down a clutch shot from three with 1:10 left in the contest. The Tornadoes knocked down a lone free throw to move the contest to 74-72. Life U turned to Stevensen with just seconds left on the clock. Despite missing his first attempt, the senior grabbed his own rebound, and dropped in the game-tying layup. Both teams had a chance to win it, but the contest remained tied, 74-74, at the end of regulation.
In overtime, the Tornadoes jumped out to a quick lead. The lead grew to as many as seven, with just 00:34 left to play. Despite a late bucket from Wright, the Running Eagles were unable to come back in the contest and the score line finished 77-86.
TURNING POINT:
--Despite forcing overtime, the Tornadoes dominated the overtime period.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
--The Running Eagles were extremely efficient from the floor in the first, shooting 53.8%.
--Life U went 6-10 from three in the first half.
--The Running Eagles struggled in the second half, shooting just 31% from three with nine turnovers.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--Shane Stevensen: 22Â points, 5Â rebounds
--Matija Gledic: 11Â points, 9Â rebounds
--Josh Baugher: 4Â points, 7Â assists, 3Â rebounds
--Calvin Payton: 15Â points, 3Â steals
UP NEXT:
--Life U remains on the road, taking on St.Thomas at a neutral site on Saturday, Nov. 29.
