The Aquinas men's basketball team was unable to complete its second half comeback on Saturday (Dec. 3) inside the Sturrus Center, falling to visiting UNOH by a 71-65 final. The Racers held a 20-point cushion midway through the second half before AQ rallied within four points in the final minute. Free throws from UNOH would close out the game and give the Racers the road win.
 
Saturday's result drops Aquinas to 4-6 overall and 2-4 in WHAC play. Two of AQ's last four losses are by a close six points each. UNOH improves its record to 3-6 on the year and 2-4 in league action. 
 
Four Saints eclipsed double-digits in the loss, led by Donovan Brown-Boyd's first career double-double. The freshman from Grand Rapids posted game-highs of 20 points and 12 rebounds; the 20 points match his season-high and the dozen boards are his most in a game this year. He made 7-of-15 field goals and a pair of triples in his 29 active minutes on the floor.
 
Menalito McGee and Gabe Overway each tallied 12 points. McGee shot 5-of-10 from the field and added five steals and four assists, while Overway made 6-of-9 field goals and chipped in four boards and three assists. Tommy Gregwer notched 10 points and five rebounds in just 12 minutes off the bench, knocking down a pair of three-pointers.
 
A tight first half saw UNOH start to creep ahead 23-16 with 7:41 to play. The Saints responded with a layup and a three-pointer from Brown-Boyd to make it a 23-21 game. UNOH, however, bounced back and closed the first half on a 12-3 run to head into the locker room with a 35-24 advantage. 
 
The Racers made just four more shots than AQ in the first half, but held a 6-2 edge in made three-pointers, helping equate for the 11-point cushion.
 
UNOH's fourth and final made triple in the second half (giving the Racers 10 three-pointers in the game) made it 58-38 with 10:14 remaining. The Saints quickly reversed course by notching a 15-0 run to bring it to 58-53 only four minutes later.
 
During the 15-point swing, Payton Harley hit a jumper and a three-ball, McGee added two layups and a three-pointer, and Brown-Boyd provided an old-fashioned three-point play. AQ was back in business. 
 
The Racers answered by scoring the next six points and reopening a double-digit lead (64-53) with under three minutes to go. Aquinas kept pushing back, with three straight buckets from Overway, McGee, and Brown-Boyd making it 64-59 with 1:07 to go. UNOH made 7-of-8 free throws in the final 45 seconds to keep the game in its favor.
 
Aquinas shot 41.9 percent from the field and made 7-of-26 triples. The Saints held a wide 42-29 rebounding advantage, including a 15-5 edge on the offensive glass. AQ turned that into a 17-2 margin in second chance points and a 30-22 cushion in the paint.
 
UNOH shot 47.2 percent from the floor and finished 10-of-25 beyond the arc. The Racers held an 11-6 edge in made free throws in a game they won by just six points.
 
AQ continues its five-game homestand on Wednesday (Dec. 7) at 7:30 p.m. against Concordia.