Men's Basketball Falls at the Buzzer to Wolverines

(Dearborn, MI)-- The Cleary Cougar men's basketball team built a double-digit first half lead, but the host UM-Dearborn Wolverines stormed back to tie the game, and found a winner at the buzzer Wednesday evening.

After a Wolverine layup to start the game, Tyree Jones got the action going with an answer.  Jaylen Cole-Williams would get hot from behind the arc, hitting 3 threes in the first twenty minutes, while Chris Williams added 9 points in the early goings to help the Cougars build a 13 point lead.  Still up 13, UM-Dearborn would hit a three pointer as time expired in the first half to cut the deficit to 10 points.

The Wolverines would use that momentum to cut into the deficit, as the hosts were donw only 6 points just two minutes into the resumed action.  Cleary would not fold, but were also unable to reestablish their double-digit lead, and the game remained close down the stretch.  With the game tied at 68-68 and Cleary in possession of the ball, a turnover on their final offensive possession gave the Wolverines a chance with just over six seconds to play.  The Wolverines inbounded the ball, drove up the left hand side, and made a difficult, contested shot off the glass as time expired to secure the victory.  It was UM-Dearborn's first lead since the score was 9-8 at the 16:24 mark of the first half.

The Cougars outrebounded the Wolverines 38-29, and outshot UM-Dearborn 20-13 at the free throw line.  The Wolverines would hit 8 three pointers and shoot 47% from the floor en route to the victory, while Cleary made 7 threes, and shot 42%.  Cleary was outscored 37-25 in the second half.

Chris Williams led Cleary with 14 points and 6 rebounds.  Jaylen Cole-Williams scored 13 points, all in the first half, to go with 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals.  Bennie Crenshaw scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half, and had 6 assists.  Tim Kewley posted a monster 13 rebounds off the bench, while chipping in 6 points and 2 blocks.

Cleary falls to 1-15 overall, 1-10 in the WHAC.  The Cougars will return home to Gannon Gymnasium on Saturday, January 20, when they take on the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils.  The game is set to get underway at 7:30 PM ET.