GAME HIGHLIGHTS

STATESBORO, GA. – Tylor Ongwae scored 19 points for ULM, and Georgia Southern guard Mike Hughes' jumper from the wing with 3.2 seconds left in the extra session rimmed out as the Warhawks held on for a 71-68 overtime win in a Sun Belt Conference men's basketball thriller Saturday night in Hanner Fieldhouse.

The Eagles trailed 69-68 and had the ball with the opportunity for the go-head basket. Hughes took a pass in the corner, pump faked, drove right and took a 17-foot jumper that popped in and out. Ongwae secured the rebound was fouled and hit two free throws with 0.9 seconds on the clock. The Eagles last-gasp 35-foot 3-point try was off the mark.

Curtis Diamond sent the game into the extra session by canning 1-of-2 free throws with 4.6 seconds left in regulation after getting fouled trying to convert a layup. Justin Roberson cleared the rebound off the miss and fed Mack Foster, who drove the length of the floor and got a shot off. Roberson was there to tip in the miss, but officials ruled that time had expired before the basket.

Nick Coppola hit a triple from the wing to give the Warhawks the early lead in overtime, and Ongwae scored a fast-break layup to make it a 67-62 cushion. Jelani Hewitt netted a pair of free throws for the Eagles, and Eric Ferguson added a jumper in the paint to cut the margin to 67-66.

Roberson hit a pair of free throws on ULM's trip down the floor, and Ferguson scored on a driving layup to make the score 69-68 with 56 seconds remaing. The Warhawks turned the ball over with 28 seconds left to give the Eagles a chance at a game winner.

Hewitt tallied 14 points and seven rebounds for Georgia Southern (16-5, 9-3), and Trent Wiedeman posted 14 points and three assists. Ferguson finished with 13 points.

Jamaal Samuel finished with 17 points and five rebounds for ULM (16-8, 10-3), while Foster scored 12.  

ULM trailed by eight points with 7:27 left in regulation but used an 11-4 run, capped by consecutive fast-break buckets by Foster and Ongwae, to open a 53-52 lead with 5:05 to play. Teams went back and forth over the next five minutes with five lead changes and two ties.

A putback by Angel Matias put the Eagles on top 58-57 but Ongwae answered with a layup, blocked a shot on the other end and then drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key for a 62-58 ULM lead with 1:32 to go. Wiedeman got a putback to make the margin 62-60, and after a ULM turnover, Hewitt was fouled but made 1-of-2 to make the score 62-61. The Eagles got a defensive stop, and Diamond was fouled going to the basket.

Foster ignited a 10-3 ULM run with a 3-pointer, and the Warhawks opened up a 34-27 advantage late in the first half. ULM shot a blistering 58 percent from the field and went into the locker room with a 34-29 lead.

The Eagles opened the second frame with a 12-2 spurt, capped by a 3-pointer from Allsmiller to open a 41-36 lead. It was the freshman's second triple during the run. Ferguson hit a 3-pointer and Matias scored a layup as the Eagles pushed the margin to 50-42 with 7:53 to play.

All-session ticket books to this year's Sun Belt Basketball Championships March 11-15, in New Orleans are available for $99 at the Georgia Southern Ticket Office. Call 1-800-GSU-WINS!

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