Box Score | Season Stats

OMAHA, Neb. -- The SBU Bearcats dropped a heartbreaking fourth straight game, falling to the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks in overtime, 102-96. SBU had a solid night from the field, shooting 53.6% (30-56), and 48.4% from beyond the arc. The Mavericks jumped out to a early 11-0 lead, highlighted by five points from Matt Newman. SBU would bounce back from its slow start and cut the Omaha lead down to two, when Jacob French picked off a pass and scored on the fast break layup to make it a 14-12 UNO advantage. The Bearcats would pull back even with just under nine minutes in the first half, when Ivan Cropotov drew the foul and hit two from the charity stripe to tie the game at 21. 

Omaha would build back up a nine point lead, but then wouldn't hit another shot in the final four minutes of the second half, and SBU would cut the deficit again, down to one after Tristan Steele hit a buzzer-beating three, and both sides would go into the locker room with a 37-36 score. French, a freshman guard from Overland Park, Kan., led the 'Cats with 11 points off a perfect 5-for-5 shooting at the halfway point.

The 'Cats would quickly tie the game again at the start of the second half, when Tomas Brock hit a three to even up the game, 39-39, but the Mavs would retailiate with a three of their own almost immediately from Tyler Bullock. UNO would build up their lead back to 11, with a three from Andrew Bridger, with fifteen minutes left in the game. Three straight treys from the Bearcats (French, Kurtis Koenig, and Steele) around the ten minute mark on three possessions cut the Omaha lead down to two, at 67-65. The 'Cats would gain their first lead of the game at 5:41, when French hit his fourth trey of the game to earn his 20th point, and give SBU a 74-73 lead. UNO would bounce right back with a basket from Bullock, re-taking the lead for Omaha.

Just under four minutes to play, with a 77-76 UNO lead, off a Maverick turnover, Koenig knocks down a huge three to give the 'Cats a two point 79-77 advantage. The Mavericks' Andrew Bridger would get called for charging, and Stephen Cotton would score his eighth point to increase the SBU lead, 81-77, forcing an Omaha timeout with 3:03 left to play.

A missed trey by Steele gave the ball back to the Mavericks with just under two minutes to play, when Tyler Bullock would give Nebraska-Omaha the lead again at 82-81. Koenig drew the foul against Dion Curry just inside the one minute mark, hitting both free throws, putting the lead back in the hands of SBU, but Koenig was called for a foul on the next trip down the floor. Curry would step up to the charity stripe and hit both, causing yet another lead change, at 84-83. Koenig immediately earned another trip to the free throw line, hitting one of two, tying the game at 84, with 10 seconds to play. Omaha would get two shots at a last-second victory, but neither would fall, and both sides prepared for overtime.

The lead would bounce back and forth in the early parts of the overtime session, as Omaha would start off the extra period with a pair of free throws from Bullock. Tomas Brock would re-take the lead for the Bearcats with a three-pointer, making the score 87-86. Bullock would come down and hit another jumper, taking the lead once again for UNO. The Mavs would pull away when Aaron Terry would hit the shot and draw the foul. When Terry missed his free throw, Bullock pulled down the board and got fouled, hitting one of two, making it a three point advantage. After Brock cut the UNO lead to 91-90, UNO's Martin hit a dagger of a three, then Bullock came up with the loose ball steal, giving them possession and a four-point advantage with less than three minutes to play. After Cropotov hit a pair of free throws, Martin hit a fallaway three to make it a five point, 97-92 lead. Omaha could have extended their lead a number of times, but missed a number of free throws before Brock would hit two free throws of his own to bring the 'Cats to within one at 96-95 with just under one minute to play. Bullock would once again step up for Nebraska-Omaha, hitting a huge trey, then after an SBU turnover, would extend the lead to 100-95 with a trip to a free throw line. French would tack on one more, but the Mavericks would hold on, by a final score of 102-96.

Jacob French finished with a career high 21 points, off a perfect 8-for-8 shooting, including four treys. Kurtis Koenig led the team with 23 points and nine rebounds, and six assists. Brock (16), Steele (14), and Cropotov (10) all put up double figures.

The Bearcats host Northwest Missouri State on Tuesday, February 23 in the final home game of the year. Lone senior Matt Rogers will be recognized as part of the Senior Night festivities. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.