Grand Rapids, Mich. – Aquinas returned to the hardwood to play its second game of the three-game homestand this afternoon (Jan. 20). The Saints took on the Siena Heights in what lived up to be the battle of the Saints. It took two overtime periods to separate the two sides and it would be the Saints from Adrian, Michigan that snuck away with a 79-77 win.
AQ has now dropped three consecutive games and sits at .500 on the season (9-9 overall, 6-6 WHAC). Siena Heights improved to 8-10 on the season with a 5-7 conference record.
Siena Heights 79, Aquinas 77
Donovan Brown-Boyd got the scoring started for Aquinas with a deep three to take an early lead. The two sides proceeded to go back and forth until the game was tied at 15 with 8:34 left to play in the half. Brown-Boyd hit another three to give AQ the spark it needed for a run, and Aquinas finished the first half with an 11-3 run to lead 29-20 at halftime.
SHU immediately battled back to begin the second half, erasing AQ's advantage completely less than seven minutes into the period. The close battle continued as neither side allowed the other to generate more than a five-point lead.
As the clock began to wind down,
Jared Lary tied the game at 60 with 1:08 left to play. The suspense built inside the Sturrus Center as both teams failed to convert a couple of field goal opportunities in the last minute, giving the fans bonus basketball with the score still tied 60-60.
Devon Boyd initiated the home Saints' scoring in overtime with a layup. However, strong defense from both teams, along with some missed opportunities, kept the game close with less than a minute to go. Siena Heights forward, Colin Nutter, scored two free throws to tie the game at 65.
Kaleb Mitchelson drove to the basket and was fouled to give him two chances at the free-throw line. He missed the first but scored the second to give AQ a one-point advantage.
Delano Williams responded with a clean jumper and then scored again after Aquinas failed to score to give Siena an eight-point edge with just eight seconds left to play.
Menalito McGee dished the ball over to Boyd, who proceeded to swish a heavily contested three to tie the game with virtually no time left on the clock.
SHU jumped out to a fast five-point lead in the second overtime period, but AQ quickly erased that advantage and tied the game at 74-74 after a Brown-Boyd free throw. Nutter scored a layup to go ahead again, but Boyd, once again, nailed a clutch three to give AQ a one-point edge.
Williams responded with a three of his own for SHU with just 21 seconds to go. Aquinas drove down the court and managed to generate an open shot with no time left, but the ball failed to find its way home. Siena Heights snuck out of Sturrus with a 79-77 win in a classic battle between the two sides.
By the Numbers
AQ had more points off turnovers (22-5), points in the paint (36-32), and fast break points (6-0). AQ also had twice as many steals (12-6), more assists (14-11), and scored more threes (8-6).
Siena Heights shot better from the field, scoring at a rate of 43.8% to Aquinas' 36.4%.
Brown-Boyd led the way in scoring with 19 points on 5-15 shooting and 4-10 shooting from three. He grabbed two boards and swatted away a shot today.
Lary shot 7-16 for 15 points and grabbed seven rounds. Boyd shot 2-5 from three and scored 12 total points. He also had six rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Up Next
Aquinas will complete its three-game homestand on Wednesday (Jan. 24) against Rochester. The game will begin following the women's game around 7:30 p.m.
