Watch the video and listen to Lonnie King's call of the game's final minute
WEST POINT, N.Y. – Trailing Army by one in overtime, HBU junior guard
Tyler Russell leaped for a long rebound near the free throw line, put it back up in midair, sank the shot and was fouled as his three-point play with two seconds left allowed the Huskies to escape with a 74-72 win over the Black Knights Saturday afternoon at Christl Arena.
Russell went 8-for-11 from the field and 4-for-4 from the free-throw line to lead the Huskies (2-5) with 21 points to go along with six rebounds. Sophomore guard
Rob Lewis was 7-for-12 from the field and 4-for-6 from the line to finish with 18 points, while junior center
Ricmonds Vilde recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Junior guard
Marcel Smith had seven points, four rebounds and three steals.
Kyle Wilson shot 7-of-20 from the field, including 3-for-9 from three-point range to lead Army (1-5) with 21 points and eight rebounds. Kevin Ferguson and Mo Williams each scored 12 for the Black Knights, while Larry Toomey had seven points and eight rebounds.
HBU shot 46 percent from the field for the game, but only 3-for-11 from 3-point range, while Army shot 34 percent from the field and 9-of-35 from behind the arc. The Huskies outrebounded the Black Knights, 51-42.
Army struck first in overtime on a putback by Dylan Cox, but sophomore forward
Dauson Womack drove inside for a layup and Lewis hit a jumper to give HBU a two-point lead. Ferguson tied the game on a layup, but Smith answered by drilling a three from the corner. Wilson scored six-straight points, including a pair of free throws with just over a minute remaining to put the Black Knights ahead by three.
Sophomore forward
Cody Joyce nailed a baseline jumper as the Huskies cut the deficit to 72-71 with 41 seconds left. Cox missed a jumper with 13 seconds to go, and Smith grabbed the rebound. Instead of calling timeout, HBU rushed up court to put Army on its heels. Lewis pulled up for a 15-footer, but it bounced off the iron, was tipped in the air back toward the free throw line, setting up Russell's heroics. Wilson put up a desperation heave from midcourt that just missed off the back of the rim.
Cox opened the game with a layup for Army, but Russell answered on the other end with a baseline floater, and Vilde's short turnaround jumper gave HBU the lead. Williams' 3-pointer and a free throw by Toomey put the Black Knights up, 6-4, but the Huskies went on a 12-0 run over the next 6:17 to jump out to take a 14-point lead with 9:09 on the clock. Russell started the spurt with an up-and-under layup, then Lewis scored six-straight points, freshman center
Cody Stetler laid in an over-the-top dish from Womack, Russell followed with a layup, then Stetler capped it with two free throws.
Army rebounded with a 15-0 run, starting with a Williams 3-pointer. Tanner Plomb hit a baseline jumper, Matt Gramling made a layup, Plomb added a dunk, then layups by Ferguson and Cox put the Black Knights ahead, 19-18, with 5:24 remaining. Russell sank two free throws, then a Vilde putback put the Huskies up by three, but Wilson hit back-to-back treys and Toomey made a free throw as Army went back up by four. Lewis drove in for a layup, then Smith's floater tied the game, 26-26, heading into halftime.
HBU shot 39 percent in the first half, 0-for-4 from 3-point range, while Army shot 29 percent from the field, including 4-for-18 from behind the arc. The Huskies made all six of their free throws in the opening frame, while the Black Knights were 2-for-4. Lewis and Russell each had eight for HBU at the break, while Williams and Wilson each had six for Army.
Wilson opened the second half with a pair of free throws, then Vilde's sweeping hook kept it tied. Plomb hit a three, then Wilson made a runner as the Black Knights led by five, but the Huskies answered by scoring the next seven. Vilde made a putback, Russell converted a three-point play, then Vilde gave the Huskies the lead with a layup. A three by Gramling and a layup by Toomey put Army up, 41-37 with 14:42 to go.
The Black Knights led by as many as six with 10:34 left, but Barton's three from the corner tied the game, 51-51, with 7:05 remaining. Army scored the next five on a pair of free throws by Ferguson and a three by Williams, but Russell buried a three and a jumper to make the score, 56-56, with 4:30 to go. Ferguson and Russell traded jumpers to keep it tied, but Smith drove in for a layup to regain the lead for the Huskies with 1:55 on the clock, and Lewis extended the lead to four with a free-throw line jumper with just over a minute left.
Ferguson's putback with 31 seconds trimmed the Black Knights' deficit to two, and Wilson tied the game, 62-62, on a layup with 18 seconds remaining. The Huskies held for the final shot, Lewis missed a pull-up 15-footer, Womack grabbed the rebound, but the putback came up short as the game headed into overtime.
The Huskies return home after a five-game road swing as they host crosstown rival Rice Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Sharp Gym.