Jeff Willison

Gallaudet Topples Hood for First CAC Win, 73-71

FREDERICK, Md.--The Hood College men's basketball team (6-14, 3-8 CAC) dropped a heartbreaking 73-71 Capital Athletic Conference decision to the visiting Gallaudet University Bison (10-10, 1-10 CAC) Monday evening at Frederick Community College.

A pair of free throws by Sekoe White with 2.2 seconds proved to be the difference, which awarded the Bison their first CAC win of the season.

The Blazers had a shot at some last-second heroics in the closing seconds. The Bison called timeout following the second make by White. Out of the break, Jeff Willison inbounded the ball to Tim Abercrombie near midcourt where Abercrombie immediately signaled for another timeout, leaving just 1.7 seconds on the clock.

On the ensuing inbounds play, Abercrombie launched a crosscourt pass to Garrett Williams in the corner who released a potential game-winning three-pointer, but the ball glanced off the back iron as the buzzer sounded, and the Bison escaped with the victory.

The contest was a seesaw affair throughout as neither team led by more than five points all night. The score was also deadlocked on 12 occasions, the last with 1:19 to go in regulation. Prior to that, Hood closed to within one on a pair of free throws by Abercrombie and a Willison layup.

After a missed jumper at the other end by Tony Tatum, Gallaudet's Jeremy Thrush was whistled for his fifth foul which sent Straughn to the line for two shots. Straughn made the first but missed the second, drawing the Blazers even at 71-71 with 1:19 to play. White came down with the carom off the Straughn miss for Gallaudet. A layup by Johnny Jackson at the other end was no good and Garrett Williams corraled the rebound for Hood.

Straughn then tried to knife through the Bison defenders to get to the rim, but got tied up and lost the ball out of bounds. The officials ruled that the ball was last touched by Straughn, giving possession back to Gallaudet with 26 seconds left. Hood called a timeout to set the defense.

Out of the stoppage, the Bison worked the ball around to White who was fouled by Herb Bowen with just 2.2 ticks on the clock. White, just a 57.4 percent foul shooter coming into the game, had connected on 7-of-9 from the stripe in the contest already. Hood called a timeout to try and ice White, but the senior calmly hit both free throws, which proved to be the game-winners.

Willison matched his career-high with 18 points on 9-of-13 from the floor. Abercrombie finished with 17 points and eight assists.

White led all scorers with 21 points while Thrush chipped in 15 off the bench for the victors.

Hood returns to action Wednesday at St. Mary's College (Md.) for an 8 p.m. tip.