WALTHAM, Mass. – When the going gets tough, the tough get going or in the case of Post University Men's Basketball, the tough find a way to overcome a 16-point deficit with less than 14 minutes in regulation to force overtime and earn a come-from-behind victory over Bentley University on the road. Senior forward Deng Deang's buzzer-beater three helped the Eagles pull even at the end of regulation and after going to a second overtime, a dagger three from graduate guard Tyler Small sent Post to 3-0 with a 91-86 win over the Falcons on Wednesday night. 

THE BASICS

(RV) Post University 91, Bentley University 86 (2OT)

(RV) Post University (3-0)

Bentley University (1-1)

HOW IT HAPPENED
After leading by two to start the game twice behind shots from Deang and graduate forward Harrison Warnock, the Eagles would never take the lead for the rest of regulation as it would be all Bentley until the extra session that Post was able to force. Sophomore forward Cooper Farrell, who had nine of his 21 points in the first half, closed the half with a layup to give the Falcons a 13-point lead, 38-25, heading into the locker room.

Farrall would hit a pair of free throws straight out of the break to make it a 15-point lead for the home team and the lead would balloon to a game-high 16 points with 14 minutes to go after a three from junior forward Joe Carroll and again at 13:12 after a layup from junior forward Chase Clarke, 47-31. But from that point on, the Eagles would make their comeback to force overtime starting with a jumper from Small at the 12:52 mark. That would be the start of a 10-0 run for the Eagles as sophomore guard Ta'Quan Williams scored the next five points via layup and three followed by a three from senior guard Bol Akot to make it a 49-43 game. 

In response, Farrall had the next four points for the Falcons to re-up their lead to double digits, but it would not last long as a 9-0 run from Deang, Small, and graduate forward Harrison Warnock made it just a one-point game, 53-52. But one point was the closest the Eagles could get for the rest of regulation, never pulling even or overtaking the Falcons, but always responding to their made baskets or free throws to keep it at a one-possession game.

With seven seconds left in regulation, Akot would come up the left side of the court and find Deang on the right side for the contested three at the buzzer to tie the game at 64 to force overtime. The score being tied at 64 marked the first time since 2-2 at 18:43 in the first half that the two teams were even with one another. Turning the tables on the Falcons, it was Post who led or remained tied throughout the entire extra session and it looked like Akot's layup with 24 seconds left to give the Eagles a 75-73 lead would prove to be the game-winner. 

Forced to foul with six seconds left, the Falcons sent senior guard Robert Sanders to the line for the one-and-one which he would miss to give Bentley one last shot to tie or take the lead. With under two seconds left, Deang would foul Farrall behind the three-point line, sending him to the line for three where he would convert on two of them and force a second overtime after Akot's half-court heave came up short. Trailing 79-77 in double overtime, Warnock's game-tying layup with 2:19 left was the start of a 7-0 run for Post that ended with Small's three which proved to be the dagger.

Ahead by five, 84-79, sophomore guard Dre Roman would make one of his two free throws while Sanders converted on both of his followed by one from Akot to stretch the Eagle lead to a game-high seven points which would be more than enough for them to hold on for a thrilling 91-86 comeback win over Bentley on the road to move to 3-0 to start the season. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Harrison Warnock recorded his first double-double since January 25th, 2023 against Bridgeport after scoring 15 points and grabbing a team-high and game-high 12 rebounds in the win 
• Post University picks up their first win of the season when trailing at halftime, moving to 1-0 in such situations while remaining 2-0 when leading at halftime -- In overtime games this season, Post is 2-0 while going 5-0 over the last two seasons in games that end up going past regulation 
• Two of the last four games between Post University and Bentley University have gone to overtime with each side winning one bout -- Two of the last four meetings have been decided by a single possession and Post has won their last two head-to-heads against the Falcons after losing the first seven
• Going to double overtime, this is the first time a Post University Men's Basketball game has reached that point since November 22nd, 2016 when the Eagles beat Bloomfield College, 91-86 

WHO'S NEXT
Post University plays its first home game of the season against St. Thomas Aquinas College on Saturday afternoon in the Drubner Center at 4:00 PM. In the NABC National Poll, the Spartans are currently receiving votes like the Eagles, but are ranked 19th in the latest D2CSC Poll. Last season, the two teams met once in the regular season and once in the NCAA Tournament with Post getting the better of St. Thomas Aquinas both times by scores of 109-107 in overtime as well as 80-72.