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BLOOMSBURG – A stunning final minute of play featured nearly enough back-and-forth momentum swings for an entire game with Mansfield outlasting the Bloomsburg University men's basketball team in overtime, 78-76, on Saturday afternoon at Nelson Field House.

The Huskies (9-14, 5-14 PSAC) owned the lead for nearly 37 minutes of game time Saturday, taking a 30-25 edge into halftime and led by as many as 13 – including a 53-43 advantage with 9:21 to play.

Mansfield would rally, however, to score a crucial PSAC East victory and improve to 10-14, 8-12.

Mountaineers leading scorer Joe Bell was quiet for much of the early going, scoring just five points during the first half. It was Bell who sparked the late rally, however, draining three consecutive shots from beyond the arc with his third 3-pointer giving Mansfield a 60-58 lead with 3:01 to play – the first advantage of the day for the visitors.

Bloomsburg seized momentum in the waning moments of regulation, going ahead by a 65-62 score with just 22 seconds to go when Jon Riles (Philadelphia/Academy of the New Church) found Alssene Saintilus (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) underneath for a dunk to ignite the Nelson Field House crowd.

Charles Pemberton drove the lane on the next trip down the floor, however, finishing with a shot off the glass and drew the foul for a traditional 3-point play with 11 seconds remaining.
Riles had a look to win the game at the buzzer, but it hit off the front iron to send the game to overtime tied at 65.

Mansfield controlled the extra period at first, but missed free throws left the door open for the Huskies. The Mountaineers pulled to a 73-68 edge with 1:48 to go following one of two at the line from Da'Quan Jones.

On the other end, Christian Mortellite (Hammonton, N.J./Hammonton) made a pair at the line for a 73-70 score. Thomas Moore then sank a two at the foul stripe to make the game a two possession affair once more at 75-70, but Saintilus drew the Huskies within 75-72 with a lay in and 32 seconds remaining.

A defensive stop gave the Huskies the ball back, and Bloomsburg elected to go for two as Charles Haigler (Charles Town, WV/Hargrave Military Academy)'s layup made it a 75-74 score with 10 seconds to go.

That's when things got really interesting.

Forced to foul, Mortellite was whistled for the personal. After the foul, Mansfield's Balla Thiam was called for a dead ball technical foul that gave the Huskies life.

Thiam still had two shots at the line, but he missed both to swing momentum fully in Bloomsburg's favor with Mortellite still having two free throws for the technical. The PSAC's leading free throw shooter made both and the Huskies suddenly had a 76-75 lead and the ball with 10 seconds on the clock.

Mansfield was then forced to foul, but Bloomsburg missed both opportunities at the stripe. As time ticked away, Moore heaved what would have been a long range prayer with 2.1 seconds to go. Moore was fouled, however, sending him to the line for three shots. He made all three, putting Mansfield ahead by two and the final buzzer sounded with the Mountaineers escaping with an unlikely victory.

Pemberton paced the Mountaineers with 21 points and 14 rebounds, hitting eight of his nine attempts from the floor. Moore finished with 19 and Bell registered 16 points.

Mortellite, just days after scoring the most points by a Huskies player in a single game since 1978 with 37 points at West Chester, remained hot by scoring 25 points to lead all scorers. Riles added 11 points and eight assists while Haigler posted nine points, seven assists and five rebounds. Chandler Junk (Pennsburg/The Perkiomen School) also finished with a career best seven points.

The Huskies return to action Wednesday night at Kutztown.