Center Valley, PA (January 25, 2025) - First-year
Jayden Thomas hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime and the DeSales University men's basketball team fought off a Delaware Valley buzzer beater to force a second overtime in a 93-80 win in MAC Freedom action on Saturday afternoon in Billera Hall.
The Basics
- Final Score: DeSales - 93, Delaware Valley - 80 (2 OT)
- Records: DeSales (9-8, 3-3 MAC Freedom); Delaware Valley (8-9, 3-3 MAC Freedom)
- DeSales wins its fifth straight over the Aggies and improves to 54-23 in the all-time series.
How it Happened
- This was an all-time classic game that started with the Aggies opening up a 12-5 lead.
- Delaware Valley fought off a Bulldog comeback mid-way thru the first-half to take a six-point (32-26) advantage into the halftime locker room.
- The Aggie lead was four with 14:22 left before an 8-0 DeSales run dominated by senior Caleb Gibbs scoring all eight points gave the Bulldogs a 41-37 advantage at the 12:32 mark.
- The two teams went back-and-forth over the next several minutes before seemed to put the game out of reach with a quick 6-0 run to take a 59-52 lead with 2:08 left to play.
- A foul off the ball and three straight turnovers by the Bulldogs however gave the Aggies life as a quick 8-0 run gave Delaware Valley a 60-59 lead with 18 seconds left.
- DeSales called timeout but came up empty and were forced to foul with 1.5 seconds left and the Aggies made both freebies to go up three points.
- A long pass was tipped out of bounds with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock.
- Out of a timeout, DeSales found Thomas wide open on the far side of the court as he let go on a three just before the buzzer that hit nothing but net sending the game into overtime.
- DVU scored first in the first OT but senior Devin Atkinson took over from there scoring 10 straight points for the Bulldogs to give DSU a 72-68 and DeSales led by six after two free throws from junior Brendan Boyle with 57 seconds left.
- The Aggies hit a three on the other end and Thomas missed two freebies with 19 ticks left giving Delaware Valley life and a step thru 3 with 0.5 seconds left tied the game and forced a second overtime.
- It was all Bulldogs in the second overtime as DeSales scored the first nine points of the second extra period to take an 83-74 lead and never looked back from that point outscoring the Aggies 19-6 in the second overtime.
Top Bulldog Performers
- Gibbs was outstanding in the win recording his fifth double-double of the year with a career-high 29 points and 13 rebounds.
- Thomas finished with 23 points, adding seven rebounds.
- Atkinson also reached double digits with 18 points, adding five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Video:
For the Foes
- Zoelin Pair had a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
- Antonio Redding finished with 17 points.
- Kamal Johnson reached double figures with 13 points and Jake McGinty had 10 points.
Inside the Box Score
- DSU shot 50 percent for the game and were 7-8 (87.5 percent) from the field and 15-for-17 (88.2 percent) from the free throw line in the two OT periods.
- DeSales scored 30 points off 18 Aggie turnovers and had just 13 turnovers itself.
Up Next
- DeSales is back in action on Wednesday when they host Misericordia University in another MAC Freedom matchup beginning at 7:00 pm.
