Asbury tops IU East in OT
Asbury tops IU East in OT
RICHMOND, Ind. - An agonizing loss, and now an agonizing wait.
The Indiana University East men's basketball team fell 96-93 in overtime against Asbury University in a Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament quarterfinals at Earlham College.
The NAIA Division II No. 17 Red Wolves (24-7) now must wait until Feb. 29. to learn if they will receive an at-large bid to the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament.
At-large bids for the national tournament will be determined by the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Coaches Poll released Feb. 29.
IU East was the No. 2 seed for the KIAC tournament. Asbury (12-16) was the No. 7 seed.
"I'm in shock," said Red Wolves coach Mark Hester. "Just shocked and numb."
Asbury's Austin Flannery hit a one-handed shot in the lane with .9 seconds remaining in overtime to put the Eagles ahead 95-93.
Asbury added one more free throw after an IU East turnover on the ensuing inbounds pass for the game's final point.
The Red Wolves had beaten the Eagles by 21 points in Wilmore, Ky., on Feb. 21, and led by 15 at halftime in the rematch on Feb. 25.
"As well as we played (Feb. 21), for us to come out in the second half and lay an egg like that, I just don't get it," Hester said.
"There was just no energy in the second half. That happened in six of the games we lost this year."
The Eagles opened the second half with a 24-11 run to cut IU East's 15-point halftime lead down to two.
The Red Wolves would push their lead back to seven, but the Eagles rallied again to force the overtime.
Asbury scored the first four points of the extra session. IU East tied it for the last time on a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Matt Trimnell (Seymour, Ind./Seymour High School) with a minute remaining.
The Eagles missed on the ensuing possession, but got the offensive rebound to set up the go-ahead basket.
IU East got 26 points from junior guard Marcus Isaac (Indianapolis, Ind./Purdue University North Central) and 18 from freshman forward Huston Clark (Kokomo, Ind./Kokomo High School).
Dakotah Euton scored 26 points for Asbury, which used just seven players.
Monitor www.iueredwolves.com on Feb. 29 for updates on the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball Tournament draw.
Click here for the IU East-Asbury box score