UNCASVILLE, Conn. – In a game which experienced 10 lead changes and nine ties, Shavar Newkirk hit a jumper with one second remaining to lift Saint Joseph’s (4-1) to a 66-64 win over Old Dominion (3-2) in the consolation game of the 2015 Hall of Fame Tip-Off at Mohegan Sun Arena. Trey Freeman was one of five players to be named to the All-Tournament Team.
Trey Freeman paced the Monarchs with 15 points, eight rebounds and two assists, while Zoran Talley poured in a career-high 12 points to go along with three boards. Nik Biberaj (4-5 FT) recorded eight points, a career-high of 10 rebounds and a career-high of four blocks. ODU’s bench outscored SJU’s 33-19.
SJU’s Aaron Brown knocked down two free-throws making the score 63-60, but ODU’s Denzell Taylor answered with another offensive rebound and put back to pull ODU within one (63-62) with 23 seconds. After one made free-throw from the Hawks, Aaron Bacote used a pump fake to draw a shooting foul in which he knocked down both attempts from the charity stripe, tying the contest at 64-64 with 14 seconds to play, before Saint Joseph’s Newkirk drilled the game-winner.
After trailing 13-8 with 12:40 left in the first, the Monarchs fought back to take an 18-15 lead with 7:33 to play, as SJU went on a 3:19 scoring drought consisting of 1-7 from the floor and three turnovers.
After a first half which entailed five lead changes and one tie, Old Dominion held a 31-30 lead at halftime, behind seven points from Ambrose Mosley and Zoran Talley each, respectively. Trey Freeman followed with six points, five rebounds and two assists. Isaiah Miles paced the Hawks with 11 points. ODU held a 21-6 advantage for bench off the bench and a 7-0 advantage for points of turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.
A Nik Biberaj and-one gave Old Dominion a 46-40 lead at the 12:32 mark of the second half. The Hawks utilized an 8-0 run over a 2:37 span on 3-3 shooting from the floor to take a 56-53 lead with 4:50 remaining in regulation.
After a Denzell Taylor offensive rebound, Trey Freeman drove to the basket making a reverse layup and absorbing a foul in which he made the free-throw to tie the game at 56-56 with 3:03 to play.
After a Isaiah Miles made basket to give the Hawks a two-point advantage (58-56), Nik Biberaj answered with one made free-throw, before Taylor recorded another offensive rebound and layup, giving ODU a 59-58 lead with 2:13 showing on the game-clock. Shavar Newkirk then answered back with a layup to give SJU a 60-59 lead with 1:42 to play.
Zoran Talley tied the game back up at 60-60 with 90 seconds remaining, before a Saint Joseph’s made free-throw gave the Hawks a 61-60 advantage, forcing an ODU timeout with just 43 seconds to play.
The Monarchs will have nearly a week off before their next ballgame, which will be against VCU in Richmond on Sat., Nov. 28 at 4:00 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet.
2015 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament
Naismith Bracket All-Tournament Team:
Dorian Finney-Smith, Florida
Trey Freeman, Old Dominion
AJ Hammons, Purdue
Isaiah Miles, Saint Joseph’s
PJ Thompson, Purdue
The 2015 Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament HOMEPAGE: http://www.halloffametipoff.com/
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