Cleveland, Oh. -- The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford men's basketball team was back in action on Saturday, playing the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets in the consolation game of the Bill Sudecky Tournament, hosted by Case Western Reserve. The Panthers battled the Yellow Jackets, but could not pull out the win falling in overtime 81-80.
The Panthers struggled to find their rhythm early, as they were kept scoreless for the first 4 minutes of play. Jamarion Butler was able to put the Panthers on the board with a driving layup at 16:07. The Panthers took their first lead of the game with just under 12 minutes to go when Gus Napoleon made a jump shot. The teams exchanged the lead multiple times over the next few minutes before Xavion Boone Roberson scored 5 straight to put the Panthers up 23-18. He started the run with a midrange jump shot after a Keshon Kittrell steal, and then after another Waynesburg turnover, converted an old-fashioned three-point play off an assist from Jaeden Lawson. The Yellow Jackets chipped away at the lead, eventually tying the game at 27 with 2 minutes remaining in the half. Both teams locked down on defense for the closing minutes of the period, but Kittrell was able to hit a three to send the game to the break with Pitt-Bradford ahead 30-27.
Boone Roberson opened the second half with a jumper on the first possession, but the Yellow Jackets were able to rally once more and quickly tie the game at 34. With the game tied at 41 and just over 15 minutes left in regulation, the Panthers hit a cold streak, as they were kept off the board for a 3-and-a-half minute span, allowing Waynesburg to build a 7-point advantage. A pair of freshmen stepped up for the Panthers to erase the deficit. Lawson started the rally with three-pointers on back-to-back possessions, and after a pair of Yellow Jacket field goals, Coby Farley scored 6 in a row on a three-pointer and a converted three-point play putting the Panthers ahead 55-54. The two squads remained close over the final seven minutes of play, as they continually exchanged the lead.
With a minute remaining and trailing by one point, the Panthers were unable to take advantage of a pair of steals, as they were immediately followed by turnovers. Farley answered a pair of Waynesburg free throws with two of his own setting up a thrilling finish. Pitt-Bradford trapped on the ensuing inbound play, but were called for a foul with 8 seconds remaining. Waynesburg was able to make the first free throw, but missed the second, giving Pitt-Bradford a shot to tie or win the game. Lawson took the ball from the defensive rebound and attempted a pull-up three-pointer, which fell short but resulted in a shooting foul, giving the freshman 3 foul shots. Lawson made the first but saw the second shot rattle out of the basket. After a timeout from Waynesburg, LAwson stepped up and coolly hit the final free throw, tying the game at 69 and sending it to overtime.
The Yellow Jackets were able to score first in the bonus period, but Jesse Laster answered with a three to put the Panthers ahead. A pair of Butler free throws extended the lead to three points, but Waynesburg scored the next 5 points to retake the lead. Butler was able to tie the game at 76 with a midrange jumper, but his effort was immediately countered by a three-pointer. An exchange of free throws over the next minute left the Panthers trailing 81-77, but Farley was able to make another three with just under a minute remaining to cut the lead to one. The Panthers were able to get a stop on the next Yellow Jacket possession, giving them a chance to win the game. In the final seconds, the ball found its way to Kittrell who saw his three-point shot hit the front rim as time expired.
Jamarion Butler led the Panthers with 19 points and 6 rebounds. He made 6-12 from the field and hit 7 of 8 from the line. Coby Farley and Jaeden Lawson provided a huge lift off the bench for the Panthers. Farley made 4-7 from the field, including 3-5 from beyond the arc. He also converted all 5 free throws he attempted to finish with 16 points. Lawson finished with 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals. Xavion Boone Roberson also reached double figures for Pitt-Bradford. He made 6-7 from the field and 2-2 from the line to finish with 14 points.
After the completion of the tournament, Jamarion Butler was named to the All-Tournament Team. Over the two games, Butler averaged 17.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 54.1% from the field.
The Panthers drop to 1-2 after the loss. After playing 3 games in 4 days, the Panthers will have a week to prepare for their next game. On Saturday, Nov. 18th, the Panthers will play their home opener, as they host Hiram in KOA Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
