Recap: Rams take two overtimes to beat Abilene Christian 108-100

Free basketball.

At Moby Arena on Tuesday night, there was an extra half’s worth of free basketball for the 2,801 fans in attendance. But, when Antwan Scott caught fire in the second overtime and Jon Gillon knocked down clutch free throws, the Colorado State Rams men’s basketball team out-lasted Abilene Christian to win 108-100.

Colorado State came out of the gates slowly, trailing 2-7 to Abilene Christian when Larry Eustachy called a timeout. The Rams turned it on after that timeout, pouring it on the Wildcats and taking as much as a 12-point lead with 3:04 until halftime. That’s when Abilene Christian went wild; the Wildcats ended the half on a 9-0 run to bring the game to 36-33, CSU at halftime.

They made it 12 straight to tie it at 36 only one minute into the second half. Then the Wildcats took their first lead of the game since 12:43 left in the first half, at 38-36. In fact, Abilene Christian – led by their hot 3-point shooting – led for most of the second half. Late in the second half, Scott’s floater gave the Rams the 74-73 lead and Gillon made two free throws for the three-point lead which was erased by Jovan Crnic’s three at the buzzer.

The first overtime was back-and-forth before Gillon missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer which sent it to double OT. In the second overtime, it was Scott time: The redshirt senior nailed a three from the corner and then scored on an and-one for six straight points. Another three from the opposite corner from Scott gave the Rams a 101-94 lead they would never relinquish as they eventually won 108-100.

Following the game, both head coach Larry Eustachy and starting point guard John Gillon said the team wasn’t prepared to play Abilene Christian, looking past them to Portland.

“Just coming out lethargic,” Gillon said after the game. “Just being up for a game like Northern Iowa, seeing how good they are…I feel like we can play with anybody…I don’t feel like we came out and gave that same respect to Abilene Christian.”

STARS OF THE GAME

John Gillon finished with 24 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. His major misstep of the night was the missed 3-point attempt to end the first overtime and send the game to double OT.

Tiel Daniels was a monster down low, scoring a career-high 20 with 10 rebounds and two blocks.

Scott scored 18 with four rebounds and two assists.

PLAY OF THE GAME

Jovan Crnic’s three at the buzzer was the play of the game for either team. He tied the game up as regulation expired to send the game to overtime.

TURNING POINT

The turning point came at the beginning of the second overtime. With both teams fighting tough, the Rams needed a spark and they got one with Scott’s six straight points. He hit a three and then scored on a drive, and-one and CSU never looked back.

BY THE NUMBERS

It was the Rams first overtime game of the year and first double overtime game since 2012.

Six Colorado State players scored in double digits, led by John Gillon’s 24. The others: Tiel Daniels (20), Antwan Scott (18), Gian Clavell (15), Emmanuel Omogbo (11), Joe De Ciman (11).

(1/2) Scott nails the 3 and CSU leads 101-95 with 1:52 to play! This is the first time CSU has scored 100 points since Dec. 8, 2013

— CSU Rams Gameday (@CSURamsGameday) November 25, 2015

vs Southwestern Oklahoma State

— CSU Rams Gameday (@CSURamsGameday) November 25, 2015

Attendance: 2,801

Colorado State Rams men’s basketball is now 1,202-1,202 all-time, the first time the program has been .500 since 1910.

QUOTE OF THE GAME

“It just proves it doesn’t matter what’s on your shirt,” Larry Eustachy said of the close contest Tuesday night. “I mean, Abilene Christian, OK. There’s these teams everywhere and they’ve been upsetting all these teams everywhere.

“But to sum the game up, I told the team that they feed off me big time,” Eustachy continued. “And I didn’t — never do it — but I didn’t give them (Abilene Christian) enough credit. We were kind of talking about Portland at the same time and it’s a great coaching lesson I learned a long time ago.”

LASTING IMPACT

This is Colorado State’s fourth straight win to start the 2015-16 season a perfect 4-0. The Rams now have two road games to finish off the Corpus Christi Coastal Classic and if they can win both, they’ll win the tournament.

WHAT’S NEXT

Next up, the Colorado State Rams men’s basketball team faces Portland in the third round of the Corpus Christi Coastal Classic. That game takes place on Friday, Nov. 27 in Corpus Christi, Texas at 6:30 p.m. MT.