SHERMAN, Texas - The Austin College men's basketball team battled back from a double-digit deficit on Tuesday, earning an 87-85 overtime victory over visiting Ripon College on a pair of Joshua Joe free throws with 0.3 seconds remaining in the extra frame. The 'Roos are now 5-6 overall on the year.
Jackson Rennie came off the bench to pour in 24 points, knocking down 8-of-15 shots including 6-of-11 from long range, and Nate Williams also had a big game coming off of the bench with 14 points, six rebounds, six assists, and a clutch three pointer to give the 'Roos a late lead in overtime to help Austin College secure the win. Austin College trailed 36-28 at halftime to the Red Hawks, who came in with a record of 6-4. Ripon pushed the margin to 41-31 early in the second half, and the lead grew to 44-33 on a Ryan Steffes three with 15:24 left to play.
Williams and Rennie each knocked down triples as Austin College started chipping away at the deficit, narrowing it to 50-45 with just under 11 minutes remaining. Rennie drilled another three to make it 50-48, and he would tie it up on yet another trey to make it 51 apiece with 9:46 left in regulation. The two teams traded baskets for the next several minutes, with Joe hitting a three to put Austin College ahead 62-60 with 4:51 on the clock. Steffes hit a trey with just over a minute left to square things up at 70 apiece, but Rennie answered with another three of his own to put the 'Roos ahead 73-70. Austin College held a 75-72 lead with 25 seconds left, but Jaylen Mahone connected on a game-tying three with 0.7 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
After the Red Hawks went up 79-77 in the extra frame, Rennie hit another three to make it 80-79, but Ripon rallied back and a bucket by Steffes put the Red Hawks on top 83-82 with 21 seconds left. Williams would answer with a big three with 13 seconds left to make it 85-83, but Owen Theune knotted the game back up with four seconds on the clock. On the ensuing possession, Joe would draw a foul on a three point attempt at the buzzer, and hit two of three free throws with 0.3 seconds on the clock to give the 'Roos the victory.
Joe finished with 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting, adding three assists, and Tristan Dick chipped in 11 points and four steals. Jordan Hudgins added eight points, six rebounds, and three assists, and Jason Jones Jr. chipped in eight points, five rebounds, and four assists. Mahone led the Red Hawks with 24 points on 11-of-16 shooting, pulling down seven rebounds as well, and Steffes hit 4-of-5 from long range on his way to 22 points.