Thursday, January 04, 2007

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Freshman Dequan Twilley sank a long-range 3-pointer from the right wing with 0.4 seconds remaining in overtime to give ETSU a 75-72 win over defending Atlantic Sun Conference champion Lipscomb Thursday night in the A-Sun Game of the Week.

It was the second overtime game of the week for ETSU, and the win improves the Buccaneers to 9-7 overall, 3-1 in A-Sun play. Meanwhile, Lipscomb drops to 8-7, 2-2.

Twilley’s last second heroics highlighted a special night for a trio of ETSU freshmen, including a 17-point and career-high eight rebound effort from guard Mike Smith (Vandalia, Mo.), and an 8-point, three-rebound night from forward Blake Mishler (Metamora, Ill.). In addition, Smith, Twilley and Mishler combined for an 11-of-13 mark from the foul line after halftime, and Mishler grabbed the final defensive rebound of the game setting up Twilley’s dramatic winner.

“Obviously, our freshman didn’t play like freshmen tonight,” said ETSU head coach Murry Bartow. “Dequan just wants the ball late and we saw that in the Belmont game. It didn’t work out the other night, but he came through tonight. Mike Smith is not your typical freshman and he showed that with his play. Blake really did some good things off the bench and without him we don’t win the game.”