Men's Basketball | 12/18/2016 12:22:00 AM
Box Score Box Score
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Justin Strings scored seven of his game-high 22 points in the second overtime Saturday night as Sacramento State held off ACU, 88-86, in double-overtime at Hornet Gym.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 6-4 on the season, while the Hornets improve to 3-7 on the season.
The game was tied 70-70 at the end of regulation after Strings – who was scoreless in the first half – buried a 3-pointer to send the game to overtime. ACU trailed 76-73 with 6.6 seconds to play in the first overtime before sophomore forward
Jaren Lewis buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key to send the game to a second overtime period tied 76-76.
In the second OT, the Wildcats took a 78-77 lead with 3:36 to play on a jumper in the paint by sophomore point guard
Jaylen Franklin and then stretched it to 80-77 with 2:51 left on a short jumper in the lane by Lewis. ACU's last lead of the game came with 1:13 left when Franklin made another shot in the paint to put the Wildcats ahead 82-81.
But Strings answered with a 3-pointer to give his team an 84-82 lead with 47 seconds to play.
Hayden Farquhar then missed a go-ahead 3-pointer with 26 seconds left and fouled Marcus Graves in the battle for the rebound. Graves hit both free throws to give his team an 86-82 lead before Franklin cut the margin to 86-84 with another layup at the 13-second mark.
Strings was fouled on the inbounds play and he sank both free throws to push the lead to 88-84 before Franklin hit another driving layup with 1.5 seconds for the final margin. Sacramento State heaved the inbounds pass deep, and after it was tipped around the buzzer sounded to give the Hornets the two-point victory.
In the first overtime period, neither team got on the board until Lewis hit a three-point play with 1:38 to play in five-minute period to give the Wildcats a 73-70 lead. But Strings again answered with a 3-pointer with 1:26 to play to knot the game at 73-73. After a foul on Lewis, Strings hit 1 of 2 free throws with 31 seconds left to make it 74-73, and after a foul on Franklin, Graves hit two free throws with 10 seconds to play to make it a 76-73 game.
But Lewis took a pass from Franklin at the top of the key with one second to play and drilled a 3-pointer to send the game to a second OT.
The Hornets were able to get to the free throw line consistently in the overtime periods – a theme that carried through the entire game – as they hit 10 of 15 free throws in the two overtime periods compared to just 1 for 1 for the Wildcats.
Sacramento State went to the line 30 times in the game (21 makes) compared to just five trips for the Wildcats (four makes) and was whistled for just 11 fouls to 25 for ACU.
Up Next
The Wildcats will be back on the road for their next three games, including Monday at 7 p.m. (9 p.m. Abilene time) at San Francisco. After a break for Christmas, ACU will be back in action on Dec. 29 when it opens Southland Conference play with a 7 p.m. game at New Orleans, and then on Dec. 31 for a 2 p.m. game at Southeastern Louisiana.
