Vandals lose in overtime on buzzer beater

by From news services
| December 21, 2011 8:15 PM

DAYTON, Ohio - In a game that featured two buzzer beaters, Idaho men's basketball team suffered a gut-wrenching 80-78 defeat in overtime at the hands of Wright State on Tuesday at the Nutter Center.

Senior guard Landon Tatum looked like the hero for the Vandals (7-5) after banking in a halfcourt buzzer-beater at the end of regulation to force extra time. He then found Daz Starke for a wide-open layup that gave Idaho a one-point lead with four seconds to go in OT, but Wright State's Julius Mays hit a runner as time expired for the win.

The Vandals, who had won three straight, missed 12 free throws and turned the ball over 16 times.

"It sure would have been nice to get out of here with a win," Idaho coach Don Verlin said. "We just didn't make the free throws we needed to make to win the game."

Junior Kyle Barone posted a season-high 21 points and a career-best 14 rebounds, blocked three shots and hit seven of his 11 attempts from the field, but also turned it over a career-high seven times. Tatum scored nine points and tied his career high with eight assists, while Starke came off the bench and added a career-high 11 points and six rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting.

Mays led all scorers with 28 points on 10-of-18 shooting, and also added five rebounds and four assists. Guard Reggie Arceneaux dropped in 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting to lead the Raiders (5-8).

Idaho plays at Wisconsin-Green Bay on Thursday.

IDAHO (7-5)

Bandoumel 0-6 4-8 4, Madison 3-9 1-1 8, Barone 7-11 7-13 21, Tatum 4-5 0-0 9, Geiger 3-10 0-0 9, Starke 5-8 1-2 11, Habeeb 1-1 5-6 7, Hill 0-1 0-0 0, McChristian 0-0 0-0 0, Borton 3-3 0-0 9. Totals 26-54 18-30 78.

WRIGHT ST. (5-8)

Battle 4-9 0-2 8, Darling 2-5 1-2 7, Sledge 3-6 0-0 6, Arceneaux 7-12 3-3 19, Mays 10-18 6-8 28, Mpondo 0-0 0-0 0, Balwigaire 1-7 0-0 2, Hall 2-5 2-2 7, Pacher 1-2 1-1 3, Vest 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 30-66 13-18 80.

Halftime_Idaho 33-32. End Of Regulation_Tied 69. 3-Point Goals_Idaho 8-18 (Borton 3-3, Geiger 3-8, Tatum 1-1, Madison 1-5, Hill 0-1), Wright St. 7-22 (Darling 2-2, Arceneaux 2-4, Mays 2-5, Hall 1-4, Vest 0-1, Battle 0-3, Balwigaire 0-3). Fouled Out_Borton, Darling, Sledge. Rebounds_Idaho 43 (Barone 14), Wright St. 30 (Sledge 7). Assists_Idaho 18 (Tatum 8), Wright St. 10 (Mays 4). Total Fouls_Idaho 19, Wright St. 26. A_3,040.