HAVERFORD, Pa. – Sam Permutt's double-double spurred the Haverford College men's basketball team to a thrilling 85-81 overtime win over visiting Moravian College in non-conference action Monday night.
Permutt registered game-highs in both points, 26, and rebounds, 12, and scored eight of the team's 13 overtime points as the Fords pull even at 4-4 on the year. The Greyhounds fall to a 2-5 mark with the loss.
The largest lead of the game came at the 10 minute mark of the opening half with the Fords rolling to a 25-16 advantage, but Moravian fought back to tie things up at 28-28 and from that point on neither team would break away from the other by more than a four point margin.
The game was tied 38-38 at the half and 72-72 at the end of regulation. Permutt took over in the early minutes of the extra period to finally help salt away the victory for the Fords.
The Greyhounds' Ryan O'Donnell nailed a three-pointer to kick off overtime but Permutt sank a pair of free throws to pull the Fords back within a point.
After a missed layup from the Greyhounds, Permutt backed in and put up a turn-around jumper from in the paint that put Haverford ahead 76-75.
O'Donnell scored his own layup to tilt the advantage back Moravian's way but Ian Goldberg dropped a deft pass into Permutt for another turn-around jumper to wrest back the lead.
O'Donnell missed the next time down the floor and Permutt was fouled as he ripped down the rebound, then sank both free throws to push the lead to three.
The visitors pulled within one at 80-79 but down the stretch it was the solid free throw shooting from the Fords that iced the game as they sank five of six tries from the line to ice the hard-fought victory.
Led by Permutt's dozen rebounds the Fords finished with a 37-29 advantage on the glass. The other noticeable difference-maker in the affair was the 25 points Haverford got from it's bench while Moravian tallied just six points from its non-starters.
Along with Permutt, four Fords reached double-digits in scoring for the night. Freshman Brett Cohen added a career-high 17, Cam Baker scored 15 and Goldberg pitched in with 14 including a 3-for-5 night from behind the arc.
Chris Cullen and D.J. Strayhorn each scored 21 points for the Greyhounds in defeat.
The wild affair saw 16 tie scores and 11 lead changes, as well as a confusing end to regulation play.
Haverford led 72-70 with more than three minutes remaining in the second half and both teams traded away missed opportunities over the final minutes.
A Haverford offensive foul with 35 ticks on the clock provided the Greyhounds with a chance to scratch out the victory or pull even.
Garrett Johnson missed his three-point attempt with two seconds left as the shot-clock horn sounded. What appeared to have been an air-ball grazed the rim in reality and O'Donnell snared the loose ball and banked in a short jumper to beat the buzzer and send the game into its extra period.
The Fords head back into Centennial Conference action with their next game, a road contest Wednesday night at Ursinus College.