Box Score
WAYNE, N.J. – Senior
Abdoulaye Ouedraogo (Newark, N.J./Newark Science) added 14 rebounds to his career-best 28 points and junior
Gabriel Paul (Hillside, N.J./Hillside) chipped in 16 tallies and six boards for William Paterson (16-1) as the Pioneers survived several Baruch (13-3) rallies to finally triumph in double overtime, 87-81, Jan. 18.
The Pioneers led by as many as 19 (30-11, 2:38) during the first half and owned a 32-16 lead at the break, but the Bearcats chipped away at that margin, pulling to within two at 35-33 (14:15) after starting the second half with a 17-3 run. After WP went ahead by six, 47-41, with 7:59 remaining, junior Chris Beauchamp scored five straight points to tie the score at 49-49 with 5:45 on the clock. Less than 40 seconds later, junior Lionel Hilaire gave the Bearcats a two-point lead with a pair of free throws (51-49, 5:07).
The two teams traded the lead back and forth until Hilaire's trey from a foot behind the arc made it a 62-59 Baruch edge with 22.7 seconds left. A missed three and team offensive rebound gave the Pioneers another chance, and senior
Tim Lucas (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) drained a jumper to cut it to one (62-61, 0:09). A quick William Paterson foul put Tammer Farid at the line, and he made the first of two (63-61, 7.6). Farid's miss of the second free throw was rebounded by Lucas, who raced up the floor and found senior
Eric Moore (Dover, N.J./St. Benedict's Prep), who was fouled with 2.9 seconds on the clock. He made both free throws to again tie the score and send the contest into overtime.
The largest lead of the first overtime came after an old-fashioned three-point play by Ouedraogo, pushing the Pioneers ahead by a 72-69 count with 54.3 seconds to play. However, Ouedraogo was whistled for the foul on a Hilaire attempt from beyond the arc on the next possession, and the Baruch junior sank all three from the charity stripe to even the contest again, 72-72. William Paterson had a chance to win it during the final seconds, but senior
Joseph Ellis (Newark, N.J./Newark Science), an 80.0 percent free-throw shooter, was unable to find the range on either attempt with 6.2 seconds on the clock. Beauchamp's off-balance three from the left wing was off the mark as time expired, sending the two teams into a second extra session.
Hilaire's three-pointer from the top of the key evened the score at 78-78 with 1:26 remaining, but Moore answered for the Pioneers with a fall-away three of his own at the other end (81-78, 0:56). A long miss by Beauchamp was rebounded by Ouedraogo, and Hilaire sent Moore to the line, where he made both attempts to extend WP's lead to five (83-78, 34.5). Hilaire came back down the floor and again connected from three-point range, his third trey of the night, to get the Bearcats back within a possession (83-81, 25.5). Baruch again fouled and Ellis made both from the stripe (85-81, 17.8), and on the other end of the floor the Pioneers twice blocked three-point attempts by the Bearcats before a Hilaire miss was pulled down by Ouedraogo, who found a streaking Ellis for the final basket just before the final buzzer sounded.
Ouedraogo made 10 of 13 (.769) from the field and eight of 10 (.800) free throws for his 28 points. He added five assists while Moore had 11 points and five rebounds, and senior
Bobby Dunn (Garwood, N.J./Arthur L. Johnson Regional) added 10 tallies and five rebounds.
Beauchamp led all scorers with 32 points, shooting 6-for-11 (.545) from three-point range. Hilaire posted 19 tallies and six assists, Tammer had 12 points, and senior George Kunkel added six points and 10 rebounds for the Bearcats.
The Pioneers will visit Montclair State Wednesday, Jan. 20, at 8:00 p.m.
