A 9-0 Alabama-Huntsville run in the final 1:08 of overtime gave the nationally seventh-ranked Chargers a 74-71 victory over the nationally 14th-ranked Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys in the NCAA Division II Tournament South Regional semifinals at Spragins Hall in Huntsville, Ala., on Sunday night.
Arkansas Tech (25-6) led 69-65 with 1:24 left in overtime following James Causey’s fifth 3-pointer of the game.
Xavier Baldwin responded with consecutive layups for Alabama-Huntsville. He was fouled on the second one and made the free throw that gave the Chargers the lead for good. It was 70-69 UAH with 28.4 seconds to go.
The Chargers (28-4) put it away by making 4-of-6 at the free throw line over the final 17.9 seconds.
The end of the game went much like the rest of the night — Arkansas Tech would build a lead, and Alabama-Huntsville would tear it down.
The Wonder Boys led 29-23 with 4:05 left in the first half, but the Chargers scored the final seven points of the period to take a 30-29 lead at halftime.
Arkansas Tech held a 60-54 advantage with 4:46 to go in regulation, but Alabama-Huntsville rallied to take a 62-60 lead on a 15-foot jump shot by Baldwin with 45.7 seconds left in the second half.
Johnie Davis made a layup for the Wonder Boys with 28.1 seconds left that tied the score at 62-62 and ultimately forced overtime.
Davis led Tech with 21 points. Causey scored all 17 of his points after halftime and grabbed 11 rebounds.
Jeremy Dunbar netted 12 points for the Wonder Boys. Laithe Massey scored 10 points, collected 10 rebounds and made five assists. Matt Haney had nine points and 10 rebounds.
Jaime Smith made six 3-pointers and scored 23 points to pace Alabama-Huntsville. Zane Campbell scored 17 points. Baldwin finished with 11 points, and Josh Magette scored 11 points, made 14 assists and took nine rebounds.
The Chargers advance to face Stillman College in the NCAA Division II South Region championship game at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15.
The loss marks the end of the 2010-11 season for Arkansas Tech, which won the Gulf South Conference West Division championship for a second consecutive season and made its third straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The Wonder Boys say farewell to six seniors — Massey, Dunbar, Causey, James Giles, Willie Sanders and Ridas Pulkauninkas.
]]>
