Hilbert College made a layup at the final buzzer to defeat the Keuka College men’s basketball team 74-72 on Saturday afternoon.
Keuka College (2-4) was led by Lamar Lovelace (Rochester, N.Y. / Northeast College Prep), who scored a game-high 23 points. Makya Morrison (Oneonta, N.Y. / Oneonta) added 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds.
The game was tightly contested from the start. Both teams traded the lead early, with Keuka College pulling ahead at several points. Quinn VanKerkhove (Irondequoit, N.Y. / Irondequoit) pushed the pace with a defensive rebound and transition layup to give the Wolves a 15-10 lead. Morrison helped extend the advantage to 19-13 midway through the half, before Hilbert rallied to tie the game at 21. Lovelace’s three-pointer brought Keuka back ahead, but the Hawks closed the half leading 32-31.
The second half remained a one-possession game through the first eight minutes. Hilbert extended its lead to nine points with a 6-0 run with ten minutes remaining, but Keuka chipped away at the deficit. A three-pointer from Lovelace at 3:38 tied the game at 63-63 during a 7-0 run for the Wolves. Akinlana Popoola (Cleveland, Ohio / Padua Franciscan) followed with a layup to give Keuka the lead, and Morrison kept the Wolves in contention with timely baskets.
The game came down to the final 34 seconds tied at 72-72. Keuka missed a shot with eight seconds left, allowing Hilbert to grab the rebound and race down the court for a buzzer-beating layup. After a referee review, the basket was upheld, giving Hilbert the 74-72 victory.
Game Notes:
- Keuka drops to 9-18 all-time against Hilbert College. Hilbert improves to 11-2 at home against the Wolves and has won the last five matchups.
- Four of the last six games between the teams have been decided by two points or less.
- Keuka won the rebounding battle 44-37, continuing a season-long trend of controlling the boards. Lovelace and Kaleb Nutifafa each recorded seven rebounds.
- Hilbert shot eight three-pointers compared to Keuka’s 2-of-14, marking the Wolves’ lowest three-point percentage since February 2019.
Up Next: Keuka has a quick turnaround before Thanksgiving. The Wolves will practice on Sunday and then travel to Rochester to face RIT on Monday at 6 p.m.
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