Box Score
WATERBURY, Conn (February 20, 2010)With a single flick of the wrist, Jim Connolly managed to both spoil the hopes of an Eagles win over the CACC South's top ranked team and propel his coach to NCAA legendary status. Connolly's (22 points, 3 rebounds) three-point buzzer beater led Philadelphia University to a 70-67 victory over Post University Saturday afternoon at the Drubner Center.
In the opening half, the Eagles came out playing a quick and aggressive style of basketball. With 11:17 to play in the game, the Eagles had a 19-11 point lead after Rashameel Vereen (10 points, 4 rebounds) hit a three.
Post University continued to apply pressure, holding a 13 point edge with 4:27 to play in the first half. The Ram's would look to Marcus Lemon (5 points, 4 rebounds) who hit a pair of shots in the paint as the two teams exchanged buckets in the closing minutes of the half.
In the closing seconds of the first period, Spencer Smith (16 points, 5 rebounds) came up with a steal and went coast to coast, dunking the ball at the buzzer giving the Eagles a 39-29 halftime lead.
The intensity continued into the second half, where with 5:28 to play the Eagles held a 58-55 lead. Nyheem Sanders (7 points, 4 assists) and Smith hit consecutive lay-ups, but the Rams responded with back-to-back Connolly three-pointers, the second of which was a four-point play, giving the rams their first lead since midway through the first half, at 65-64.
A supreme individual effort from Smith earned him an old-fashioned three-point play, which he converted to give the lead back to the Eagles at 67-66 with 14 seconds left to play.
Philadelphia called a timeout with 6 seconds remaining, and Rams Head Coach Herb Magee drew up an inbound play which earned Mike Yocum (14 points, 8 rebounds) two free-throws. After making the first, the Yocum's second shot bounced off the rim into the hands of Ram's guard Corey Francisco who kicked it out to Jim Connolly at the top of the arc. With one second remaining, Connolly made a shot that neither he nor his head coach will soon forget.
The win was Magee's 902nd win as an NCAA Men's Basketball head coach, tying him with Bobby Knight for the most wins in NCAA Basketball history. Magee will have an opportunity to claim that honor for himself on Tuesday as the Rams (22-6, 14-1 CACC) play host to Goldey Beacom College.
The Eagles (10-16, 3-7 CACC) will be back in action again on Tuesday night as they travel to Caldwell College for an 8pm tip-off.
