Men's Basketball rallies past Rust College in Overtime

XENIA, OHIO - Wiley University men's basketball player Devon Barshow scored a game-tying offensive putback with six seconds left to help the Wildcats force overtime and prevail 79-72 over Rust College Saturday in the second game of a Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference Crossover at Athletes in Action Headquarters.

The Wildcats 4-5, 2-3 HBCUAC) snap a three-game losing streak and win their second overtime game of the season. It's their fifth victory over Rust in their sixth meeting as conference opponents.

Wiley trailed 62-55 with 6:30 left in the game. Barshow hit a jumper to pull it within three. Demarius Pitts tied the game at 64 with a corner three-pointer with 1:16 left. A turnover allowed Rust to retake the lead with 27 seconds remaining. Pitts attempted a go-ahead 3-pointer but was short. Barshow rebounded the miss and made a short jumper to even the score. Jalen Bates forced a turnover, to give the Wildcats an opportunity at a game-winner. Their final shot went off the rim.

With the game tied at 70, Taj Toney was fouled shooting. He converted both free throws to put Wiley ahead. Rust turned it over, which set up a layup by Shamir Mosley. The Bearcats missed a 3-pointer and Bates made a layup to increase the lead to six.

The Wildcats outshot Rust 50-40 percent and outrebounded it 39-24. Pitts led the team with 21 points on a 9-for-16 shooting performance and hit three 3-pointers. Barshow followed with 19 and led the team with seven rebounds. Bates tallied 11 points, grabbed six rebounds and recorded a team-high four assists.

Wiley will play Fisk University at 6 p.m. Monday at Wilberforce University. The Bulldogs fell to the University of the Virgin Islands on Friday to drop to 3-3 in HBCUAC play.

For more coverage on the Wildcats visit https://wileyathletics.com/sports/mbkb/index

About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 12 varsity sports, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) and the Continental Athletic Conference for men's and women's soccer.

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