WATERBURY, Conn. – Junior forward Deng Akok hit a go-ahead jumper with 1:01 left in regulation for Post University Men's Basketball as the Eagles held off a late charge from Chestnut Hill College, escaping with a 72-68 win, courtesy of 23 points from junior guard Ta'Quan Williams, who was 8-for-13 from the floor with a pair of threes.

THE BASIC

Post University 72, Chestnut Hill College 68

Post University (8-11, 7-4 CACC)

Chestnut Hill College (7-11, 5-6 CACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Williams scored 16 of his 23 points in the first half alone, connecting on 6-of-9 shots and going a perfect 2-for-2 at the free throw line, while tying for the team lead in rebounds with three other players at four. Senior guard Tre Duncan started the game off with a three as Post raced out to a 6-2 lead, which included a big three-point play from Williams right off the bat. Freshman guards Amari Dow and Jeremiah Gorham would be responsible for helping Chestnut Hill take its first lead of the afternoon with back-to-back makes as part of a 7-0 run by the Griffins to make it a 13-10 game.

Three points would be the largest lead for either side over the course of around eight minutes of playing time until another three-point play from Williams, after junior guard Zion Lott tied things at 27 apiece, started a 5-0 run by Post to go in front by five, 32-27, and ride a 10-2 finish to the first half that gave them an eight-point advantage heading into the break, 37-29. Williams was the only scorer in double-digits for either side up to that point as Post shot near 50% in the first half, going 15-for-31 (48.4%) from the field and 4-for-12 (33.3%) from three. Eight points each from Gorham and senior center Alejandro Redondo Cybak paced the Griffins, who shot 11-for-31 (35.5%) from the field, only hitting 3-of-16 (18.8%) threes.

Remaining in front for most of the second half, momentum continued to stay on the side of the Eagles, who built their lead to 10 points with 11:31 left after freshman guard Harry Scully's layup, as it would not be until inside of four minutes to go when the Griffins made their last-ditch effort to take back the game to steal a road win and the season series from Post. Trailing by six with 3:54 to go, Cybak's layup was the start of a 6-0 run to tie the game at 64 all, in which Cybak scored four of the points, and with under two minutes to go, Lott broke up the run with his go-ahead layup.

Out of a timeout from Post, junior guard Tyler Spencer put Chestnut Hill ahead for the first time since the 3:48 mark of the first half, when it was 27-25, hitting a go-ahead three, which made it 67-66. That was when Akok hit his baseline jumper, grabbing a pass from Williams, who was nearly stripped moments earlier in a scrum in the paint, with 1:01 left, and then on the next possession, hit two free throws to make it a three-point game, 70-67.

Within the next second alone, three fouls were called as Gorham's drive to the basket was called for charging, drawn by graduate forward Derrick Thomas II with 10.6 seconds left, seeming to give Post the stop they needed to secure the win. But on the ensuing inbound, Williams would be called for an offensive foul before the ball was even thrown in, resulting in Chestnut Hill having another chance, in which Lott would commit a foul before the ball was inbounds, leading to two free throws for Dow.

After Dow split the free throws, the Griffins were forced to foul Williams, who ended up going 1-for-2 from the line, giving Chestnut Hill one last rush down the court as Gorham heaved up a three with one second left, airballing it out of bounds, and giving possession back to the Eagles. Duncan would get fouled and go to the line, making one of the two shots as the buzzer sounded on the 72-68 win for Post.
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• The win for Post University snaps a three-game losing streak against Chestnut Hill College after the Eagles had won six straight games before that skid
• Alejandro Redondo Cybak narrowly missed recording a double-double for Chestnut Hill College, scoring 19 points and adding nine rebounds 
• At halftime this season, Post University is 6-0 when leading at halftime, while being 2-10 when trailing and 0-1 when tied
• Ta'Quan Williams has recorded 10-plus shots in each of the last seven games for Post University, shooting above 45% in each of the last five games

WHO'S NEXT
After beginning a stretch in which they will play five of six games at home, Post University will take on the University of Bridgeport on Wednesday night in the Drubner Center at 7:30 PM. The Eagles came out on top in their road matchup against the Purple Knights earlier this season, 75-68.