PITTSFORD, N.Y. – In a high-scoring game that had plenty of key moments, an offensive rebound made the biggest difference in the St. John Fisher University men's basketball team's home opener against Union College on Tuesday night at Manning and Napier Varsity Gym.
With the Cardinals trailing by three in the final 15 seconds, junior guard Joshua Lopez hustled to pull down a rebound off of senior forward Eric Kegler's missed 3-point shot. He quickly sent a pass out to a wide-open Cole Thompson, who buried a triple to tie the game at 73 and force overtime, during which the Cardinals outlasted the Garnet Chargers 92-90.
The Cardinals (2-4) snapped a four-game losing skid with the victory, while the Garnet Chargers (2-1) suffered their first loss of the season.
Senior forward Connor Williams, who shot 9 of 12 from the field and knocked down both of his free-throw attempts, led Fisher with 20 points. Lopez shot 4 of 11 overall (1 of 3 from three) and 7 of 8 from the foul line to finish with 15 points. He grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds as part of his first career double-double.
The Cardinals led by six at halftime and gained their largest advantage (nine points) of the contest early in the second half, but Union stormed back with a 16-0 run over three minutes to take a 52-45 lead. Sophomore forward Jack Plesser scored 10 of his career-high 35 points during that spurt. He amassed all but seven of his points in the second half and overtime.
Union, which appeared on its way to handing the Cardinals a fifth straight loss, pushed its lead to nine three times in the final seven minutes of regulation. Fisher, though, found answers just in time.
Thompson made a pair of jumpers, and Lopez made a layup and a free throw as part of a 7-0 run that whittled the Cardinals' deficit to one, 69-68, with 3:28 left. The Cardinals stayed within two to three points from there and finally pulled even with Union on Thompson's triple in the final seconds.
Thompson, who scored a career-high 13 points on 5 of 7 shooting (3 of 3 from three), connected on another triple in overtime to give the Cardinals an 86-81 lead with 1:12 left.
The Cardinals shot 5 of 6 from the field and made all eight of their free throws in the extra frame. Kegler scored six points, while Williams and Lopez added four apiece.
Game Notes
-
The Cardinals beat Union for the first time in program history. The Garnet Chargers entered the night with a 2-0 record against Fisher.
-
Freshman forward Maximus Michalski scored a season-high 14 points. He shot 6 of 7 overall and went 2 of 2 from the foul line.
-
Five Cardinals scored in double figures: Williams (20), Lopez (15), Kegler (14), Michalski (14) and Thompson (13).
-
Thompson scored all 13 of his points in the second half and overtime. He made five of the last six shots he attempted.
-
Kegler and senior guard Max Schneider each had three assists.
-
Kegler has scored in double figures in five of Fisher's six games this season. Williams has done so four times in six games.
-
The Cardinals set season highs in points (92), field goal percentage (53.8%), field goals (35), 3-pointers (5) and free-throw percentage (81%) against Union.
-
The Cardinals outscored Union by 26, 56-30, in the paint.
-
The Cardinals got a season-high 45 points from their reserves.
Up Next
The Cardinals face Hamilton College at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Manning and Napier Varsity Gym.
