The Aquinas men's basketball team put on quite a show over the final 15 minutes of action in Saturday's (Oct. 29) season opener at the Sturrus Center. Visiting Roosevelt was ahead 59-44 with 9:18 remaining and appeared to be in complete control. AQ, however, tied the score in the closing minutes, nearly won the game in the final seconds, and prevailed 81-74 in an overtime thriller in front of a loud crowd of Saints supporters.
 
It was the season opener for both teams, with Aquinas moving 1-0 and Roosevelt dropping to 0-1. The Saints used a game-ending 37-15 run over the final 9:18 of regulation and during the five-minute extra session. AQ outscored the Lakers 13-6 in OT, made both three-point tries, and went 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. 
 
Six Saints made their Aquinas debut on Saturday in what became a total team effort in the victory. The home squad was led by Donovan Brown-Boyd, who scored 20 points on 7-for-9 shooting in just 20 minutes on the floor. He went 3-for-4 from downtown and added five boards in his debut.
 
Gabe Overway made 7-of-12 field goals and tallied 16 points and a team-high six rebounds, along with two steals and a pair of blocks. Menalito McGee and Payton Harley scored 14 points apiece, with McGee adding four assists and three steals and Harley making two clutch triples late in regulation and early in overtime.
 
Roosevelt shot the ball well in the opening half, making 50 percent of its attempts in the opening 20 minutes. AQ stayed close though and it was a 33-29 lead for the visitors at the break.
 
The Lakers' advantage swelled to 15 points (59-44) midway through the second half before Aquinas made its run. Brown-Boyd scored on a three-point play and McGee made a jumper and a trifecta to begin the comeback. Consecutive three-pointers from Brown-Boyd and Harley made it a 64-60 score with 3:26 to go. 
 
On AQ's next two possessions, Overway and Brown-Boyd each converted layups to tie the game at 64-64, completing the 20-5 surge in barely seven minutes of action. The game was tied at 68-all and the Saints got a great look at a buzzer beater, but Harley's stepback 15-foot jumper was just off target, sending the game to OT.
 
Harley got revenge early, burying a triple just 12 seconds into the extra frame. A few free throws and a Harley layup made it 76-71 with 1:26 to play. Perhaps the shot of the game came 40 seconds later. Leading 76-74, Andrew Larson – in his first game as a Saint – lifted a three-pointer from the left wing that bounced around the rim and fell in for a huge triple try and gave AQ the 79-74 lead. A pair of Harley free throws 30 seconds later sealed the incredible come-from-behind win.
 
Aquinas shot 43.3 percent from the field and made 10-of-23 trifectas. After struggling in the first half at the line, the Saints made 9-of-13 free throws in the second half and overtime. Roosevelt shot 41.7 percent in the game, but went 5-of-26 from downtown and 19-for-31 at the charity stripe.
 
In addition to the four double-digit scorers, Larson added six points and six rebounds. Jared Dugener supplied five points and four rebounds, including a clutch offensive board and two made freebies in overtime. Tommy Gregwer chipped in five points and Devon Boyd handed out  four assists. 
 
The Saints are back in action on Wednesday (Nov. 2) for their first road trip of the season. AQ is at Taylor at 7:00 p.m. in Upland, Ind.