Beverly, MA - In a CCC semifinal round between Endicott and Salve Regina, the Gulls scored eight points in overtime, giving them the, 83-80 win. Zach Ellis hit a three-pointer at the 2:29 mark in regulation, and Endicott did not lose the lead the remainder of the game, advancing the Gulls to the CCC Championship game.
Ellis had a game high 24 points, all of which were from beyond the arc. The junior guard had four assists and three steals on the night. The game's second leading scorer was Josh Oxton. Oxton posted a triple-double. He had 21 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Oxton was perfect from the foul line, going 8-for-8. Both Matt George and Nemanja Marinkovic chipped in 12 points apiece.
Salve guard, Matt Coute was the team's leading scorer with 20 points, shooting 8-for-17 from the field. Sophomore Jon Hazzard chipped in 15 points and two assists for the Seahawks. Forward Chris Collier tallied 14 points, grabbed 8 boards and blocked two Endicott shots.
With 36 seconds left in regulation, Oxton went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe, putting the Gulls up by five. The Seahawks counterattacked with the clock winding down, and Andrew Rego drained a three, pulling SRU within two. At the 21.2 second mark, George was fouled, and went 1-for-2 from the foul line. SRU came down the court with 5.8 seconds remaining, and Coute hit a three to tie the game up, 75-75. A final attempt for EC led to a turnover, and SRU's half-court shot sailed past the hoop to take the game into overtime.
Endicott won the tip-off in OT, and Oxton was fouled on the EC drive. He hit both free throws, giving the Gulls the two-point advantage. Capitalizing on a SRU turnover, Marinkovic sunk his free throws, adding to EC's lead. Both teams traded baskets in the final two minutes. George hit the last basket of the night, giving EC all they needed to win. With 7.0 ticks on the clock SRU came down the court, but were unable to convert a three-point play.
The Gulls (21-5) host the Championship game. The Gulls face Roger Williams in the final round. Tip-off is 7:00PM this Saturday. The Seahawks finish their season with a 15-9 overall record, 12-4 in the CCC.
