WATERBURY, Conn. – Graduate forward Harrison Warnock had a career night for Post University Men's Basketball en route to his fifth double-double of the season, scoring 28 points and snagging 12 rebounds to help lead the Eagles past Dominican (N.Y.), 95-89, in overtime on Wednesday night in the Drubner Center. The win moves Post to 4-0 this season in overtime games while moving to an impressive 7-0 in the last two seasons in games going past regulation. 

THE BASICS

Post University 95, Dominican (N.Y.) 89 (OT)

Post University (13-10, 7-4 CACC)
 
Dominican (N.Y.) (14-7, 9-2 CACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
A raucous Drubner Center gave the Eagles all the momentum to start the game as a 20-8 run to start the first 5 ½ minutes put the home team up by 12 points and forced the Chargers to call a timeout to regroup. During that run, it was Warnock accounting for nine points while sophomore guard Ta'Quan Williams, junior guard Tre Duncan, and senior guard Bol Akot all drained threes as well.

But Post would maintain that double-digit lead even as the Dominican (N.Y.) offense started to get going and it would reach a half-high 13 points following a three-ball from senior forward Deng Deang as the halfway point neared to make it a 29-16 game. But the defense of the Chargers picked things up, forcing a couple of Post turnovers to aid in their 13-2 run that cut their deficit down to two points, following a three by junior guard Isaiah Honis. 

In response, Duncan's layup would lead to a mini 5-1 run to re-up the lead to six points for the Eagles after a three-point play for Deang. But the final 5:14 of the half would be owned by the Chargers as they took their first lead of the game with an 8-0 run which featured four points from freshman center Tyler Edore. Graduate forward Derrick Thomas II's three to give Post the lead back by one, 39-38, would be the last basket of the half for the Eagles as Dominican (N.Y.) ended the first 20-minute session on a 6-0 run to lead at halftime by five, 44-39. 

Two players for Post went in the locker room with double-digit scoring as Warnock led all scorers with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting with a game-high six rebounds while Deang lurked close behind at 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting. As a team, the Eagles shot 40.5% from the floor, making 15-of-37 shots while going 6-for-15 (40%) from three-point land. 

A balanced attack for the Chargers saw them get scoring from nine different players, led by Isaiah Honis with eight points on 3-for-6 shooting. Dominican (N.Y.) was 50% as a team from the field after making 16-of-32 shots while only six of those came from long range to the tune of a 2-for-6 (33.3%) half. From the line, the Chargers made up ground by connecting on 10-of-13 (76.9%) chances compared to just a 3-for-3 half by Post.

Flipping the script at the start of the second half, the first eight minutes saw the Eagles get off to a 19-5 start en route to a nine-point advantage, 58-49, with 12 minutes and change remaining. Deang's free throws and jumper would be the beginning of that run, getting him to 14 points, while five different players got in on the action aiding in giving Post their lead. 

But back would come the Chargers again to regain the lead over the stretch of five minutes with a 16-2 run that gave them their largest lead of the game up to that point at five, 65-60. Looking to shift the momentum back in their favor, a foul by junior forward Koi D. Kirk Jr. led to three free throws for Duncan, but he would be unable to connect on two of them while senior forward Emmanuel Smith was fouled on the other end, hitting both his opportunities to maintain a six-point edge for the Chargers, 67-61.

Heading into the home stretch, Warnock, who had a quiet half up to that point, came alive again for the Eagles as his three-point play helped kickstart five straight points from him, bringing Post back within two points, 68-66, with still five minutes remaining. The graduate student's layup with 3:06 to go helped start another 5-0 run with the Eagles down by five as Deang's three tied the game at 73 all with under two minutes left in regulation. 

Exchanging baskets and free throws on both ends, the two sides would head into the final minute of regulation tied at 77 with Post holding possession following a missed three from Kirk Jr. with 1:06 left. Getting two cracks at the go-ahead basket, a miss by Deang, and a loose ball that Duncan picked up were mixed in between a pair of timeouts for Post. On the ensuing possession with the shot clock winding down, Deang would look to step back with Smith on him and get called for a travel with 13 seconds remaining.

The two teams would head to a five-minute overtime tied at 77 following a miss from Smith out of a Chargers' timeout which was picked up by Williams who was unable to get a shot off at the buzzer. After Isaiah Honis gave Dominican (N.Y.) the lead out of the gate with a jumper, it would be a Duncan three that gave Post the lead back for good despite the Chargers continuing to threaten. Each time the Chargers would pull within one, the Eagles would answer back and momentum shifted when a potential three-point play for Warnock brought the Drubner Center to life despite him missing the free throw after.

A missed three by Jaden Honis would turn into a transition down the other end of the court for Post and an emphatic dunk by Deang that gave the Eagles a five-point lead they would never look back on as five free throws from Akot and a pair from Williams helped give the home team a big six-point win, 95-89. 

BY THE NUMBERS  

• Harrison Warnock finished the game with his fifth double-double of the season after scoring a career-high 28 points and grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds  
• Bol Akot saw his 13-game double-digit scoring streak extended to fourteen straight games after scoring 12 points on 1-for-9 shooting and hitting 9-of-10 free throws -- Akot has 21 games this season in which he has reached double-digit points 
• Post University moves to 2-9 on the season when trailing at halftime while remaining 10-1 when leading at the break -- The Eagles are 1-0 when tied at halftime which was their overtime win against AIC on December 18th, 2024 
• In overtime games this season, Post University moves to 4-0 overall while being 7-0 in the last two seasons in games that go past regulation 

WHO'S NEXT
Post University squares off with Goldey-Beacom College at home on Saturday afternoon in the Drubner Center with tip-off scheduled for 3:00 PM. The Eagles have won their last four matchups against the Lightning, including a 10-point win last season, 87-77, on the road. In the all-time series, Post currently holds an 18-8 record and before their current four-game win streak, had lost five straight to Goldey-Beacom.