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Center Valley, PA (February 15, 2014) – Four players scored in double digits including senior Mike Coleman with a team-high 16 points as the DeSales University men's basketball team won its fifth straight game to clinch a spot in the Freedom Conference playoffs with a 78-74 win over FDU-Florham in overtime on Saturday afternoon in Billera Hall.

DSU (15-8, 9-3 Freedom) is atop the Freedom Conference standings by two games headed into the final week of the regular season needing just one win either at Wilkes (Tuesday) or at Eastern (Saturday) to clinch the top seed and home court throughout the Freedom Conference postseason.  The other three spots in the postseason are up for grabs between five teams all within one game of each other with Delaware Valley, Misericordia, and FDU-Florham currently in a three-way tie for second place and King's and Manhattanville tied for fifth just one game behind.

12 different players scored in the win over the Devils on Saturday including Coleman who netted 14 of his 16 points in the second-half and overtime to lead the way.  Senior Kyle Hash added 14 points and pulled down six boards, sophomore Cody Deal had 11 points and eight rebounds, senior Andrew Kohler finished with 11 points, senior Matt Poorman pulled down a career-best eight rebounds, and junior Travis Bryan was once again terrific finishing with six points, seven rebounds, and four more blocked shots in the win.

Senior Will Green and senior John Flete almost single-handedly stole the win in Billera Hall as two combined for 54 of FDU's (12-11, 7-5 Freedom) 74 points.  Green was outstanding with 30 points and 18 rebounds, while Flete added 24 points and six assists in the loss.

FDU got out the gates quickly opening up an 11-4 lead over the first 5:45 as both teams struggled to find the shooting touch early.  Still trailing by five (18-13) with 9:49 left in the opening half, DSU used an 11-0 run to take a 24-18 lead on a three-point play from Kohler with 7:25 left in the opening half and finished the half on a 9-2 run to take a 36-39 lead into the locker room.

The lead swelled to as many as nine points early in the half before FDU began chipping away, using an 8-0 spurt midway thru the half to take a 51-50 lead with 9:37 remaining.

A lay-up from junior Michael Guldin and a three from Deal off a pass from Guldin pushed DSU back in front by four but the Bulldogs went ice cold over the next five minutes, with their only points coming off two Hash free throws as FDU held a 59-57 advantage with 3:29 to play.

Following the Hash free throws, DSU got a defensive stop and Coleman drained a three from the top of the key putting DSU back on top by one (60-59) with 2:57 on the clock.  The two teams answered buckets over the next few possessions as the game was tied at 63 on a lay-up from Bryan with 1:45 to play.

Neither team could find the go ahead bucket over the next two possessions and FDU's Donte Ali was long on two free throws with 38 ticks left giving DSU the ball and the game still tied at 63.

Out of a timeout, the Bulldogs cleared the floor and let Coleman go to work off a high screen and he was fouled on the block driving to the hoop with seven seconds left where he hit both freebies giving DSU a 65-63 lead.  DeSales called timeout after the second FT and Kevin Furlong had the answer, driving the length of the court and hitting an off-balance lay-up with 1.2 seconds left and a three quarter heave by Hash was well short as the game went into overtime.

A Coleman lay-up started overtime before three straight points from Green gave FDU a one-point advantage.  The two teams traded baskets or stops over the next three minutes and with DSU clinging to a one-point lead after a jumper from Coleman, the Bulldogs came up with a huge stop on the defensive end giving them a chance to take the lead.

After working the ball around on offense, Kohler found Hash cutting back door and he converted the uncontested lay-up putting DeSales up 75-72 with 34 seconds left and then stepped into the passing lane on the defensive end, diving to the floor to retrieve the steal and found Coleman streaking down court where he was fouled going to the bucket, hitting both free throws icing the win for the Bulldogs with 21 seconds left.

The Bulldogs bench was the story as DSU held a 46-0 lead in bench scoring as four of FDU's five starters played 40+ minutes in the loss as compared to just one Bulldog playing more than 30 minutes.  DeSales also owned the glass, out-rebounding Florham, 52-38.

The playoff berth is the second straight for DeSales and its 11th in the Freedom Conference since joining the conference 17 years ago.

DSU's first chance at earning home court throughout the playoffs will come on Tuesday evening when they travel to Wilkes University with tip set for 8:00 pm.