ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The Bard College men's basketball team was outscored 16-8 in the second overtime and lost to Rochester Institute of Technology, 77-69, in a Liberty League game on Saturday afternoon.
Bard fell to 6-11 overall, 3-5 in the Liberty League with its fifth straight loss. RIT is 9-8, 5-3.
Bard led all but one minute of the first half, by as much as nine, but the lead was 26-23 at halftime. The Tigers opened the second half on a 13-2 run, but Bard responded and it was tied, 43-43, with 7:31 remaining in the game. It was nip and tuck the rest of the way in regulation.
Brandon Cunningham sank a pair of free throws with 55 seconds left to tie the game at 54-54; RIT got consecutive good looks at three-pointers on its final possession, but neither went in, and the teams went to overtime.
At the end of the first overtime, Bard went up 61-59 with 34 seconds left when
Chris Lockwood made a key steal, and Cunningham scored off a pass from
DeVahnte Mosley at the other end. RIT took its time looking for a shot on the ensuing possession, and eventually settled on a baseline jumper from Troy Pierre-Lewis (Providence, RI). Pierre-Lewis missed, but Mitch Herman (Webster, NY) grabbed the offensive board and was fouled with nine seconds left. He made the first, then tied the game by making the second after a Bard time out. The Raptors missed a difficult three-point attempt at the buzzer and the game went to a second overtime.
Herman hit a three-pointer to start the second OT, and after a Bard turnover, RIT scored again to make it 66-61. Bard battled from there, but RIT made 8-of-10 foul shots in the second overtime and pulled it out.
The Liberty League's leading scorer, RIT's AJ Horde (Oak Park, MI) was held to nine points by the end of regulation, but he scored nine in the overtimes to finish with 18. Herman had 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Tigers made 15-of-18 free throws after the end of regulation time.
Cunningham matched a career high with 21 points, and he added 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Mosley had 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block.
The Raptors will try to snap this losing streak on Tuesday night, at home, against Vassar. Follow it here via Live Stats or Live Video. Tip is at 8.
