Bluejays Fly Away From Titans In Overtime

Elmhurst College (Ill.) used a 20-point advantage at the free throw line to post a 70-66 overtime victory over the UW-Oshkosh men's basketball team on Tuesday (Dec. 21) in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Bluejays (4-5) attempted 40 foul shots in the contest, including 16 during the extra session. They knocked down 29 of them (73 percent), while the Titans (4-5) converted 9-of-13 tries at the charity stripe (69 percent). Elmhurst College recorded the first seven points of overtime in a game that saw 11 lead changes during the second half.

Nick Sanford's free throw with 1:02 left in regulation gave the Bluejays a 56-54 lead. The Titans then equaled the score with 42 seconds remaining on two foul shots by Paul Wojahn (So. • Oshkosh).

To begin overtime, Mike McCurdy sank three free throws and Sean Fendley buried a triple to put Elmhurst College up, 63-56, with 1:47 left. UW-Oshkosh got two three-pointers from T.J. Kellner (So. • Sheboygan) and one from Greg Schrimpf (Jr. • Manitowoc) late, but the Bluejays' effectiveness at the foul line sealed the outcome.

Zack Boyd topped Elmhurst with 17 points and a game-high eight rebounds as Fendley added 14 points. The Bluejays, who shot 44 percent (19-43) from the field and 23 percent behind the arc (3-13), also received 12 points from McCurdy.

Just like overtime, the Bluejays marked the opening seven points of the first half. Boyd tallied two early lay-ups and some free throws to stretch the cushion to 11-4 just seven minutes into the contest. McCurdy later tacked on four free throws to make it a 23-13 lead with 6:55 on the clock.

The Titans used the marksmanship of Schrimpf to storm back. He drained three shots from long range in the closing 6:31, as Cory Wittwer (Sr. • Fall Creek) hit one, to put UW-Oshkosh ahead at halftime, 28-26.

Kellner nailed two jump shots after the break to give the Titans a four-point lead. McCurdy would have no more of that, registering five straight points to put Elmhurst up, 33-32. The Bluejays later regained a 41-39 margin on Joe Acosta's lay-up with 11:10 remaining.

The score was tied at 43, but UW-Oshkosh benefitted from Kellner and Schrimpf three-balls to snatch a 54-48 advantage. Two conversions at the charity stripe by Nick Sanford, along with five Fendley points, shifted the lead back to the Bluejays (55-54) with 1:52 on the clock.

Schrimpf paced all players with 21 points as Kellner contributed 15 for the Titans, who shot 37 percent (23-62) from the field and 34 percent from deep (11-32). John Flanigan (Jr. • Oshkosh) marked 12 points and seven boards, while Wittwer compiled eight points and five assists and Brian Washington (So. • Waukesha) eight rebounds. Despite a 9-12 victory in the turnover column, the Titans dropped the rebounding category, 33-39.

UW-Oshkosh heads to Waukesha and faces Carroll University on Dec. 29.