WINONA LAKE, IN - The 5th seeded Clinton College men's basketball team used a big overtime period to complete their rally and knock off #4 seed Roberts Wesleyan (13-13) 108-99 in the quarterfinals of the 2024 NCCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship on Wednesday afternoon in Winona Lake, IN.
Clinton, 18-9, now advances to its 2nd consecutive appearance in the NCCAA National Semifinals on Thursday evening with a final four matchup against top seeded Cedarville University of Ohio. Game time at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center on the campus of Grace College is scheduled for approx. 5:15 p.m. EDT tonight.
Fans can watch the action live on the NCCAA Network (pay-per-view) as well as follow on SIDEARM Stats.
RWU got out to a fast start in the quarterfinals building a 41-29 lead with 4:30 to play in the first half. However, the resilient Bears would not go away and would end the half going on a 17-6 run led by three-pointers from senior guards Tyler Hammond and Paul Eromosele and buckets from sophomore wing Isaiah Borders to go into the half down just one, 46-47.
The two teams would then stay very competitive throughout the second half with neither squad able to go up by more than five points for the entire half. RWU held a 65-60 edge halfway through the period but the Bears would keep pushing and eventually go on to take their first lead of the game at 77-76 with 4:30 to play.
Then, multiple jumpers from senior Region Player of the Year Cam Shannon, a three from senior forward Isaiah Stone, and two clutch free throws from Eromosele then gave the Bears a slim 86-85 lead with 14 seconds to play. The Eagles would then make just one of two free throws with 11 seconds to go before Eromosele's three at the buzzer was off the mark sending the game to overtime.
In the OT, Clinton used jumpers from Stone and an AND-1 and three-pointer from freshman guard Jordan Snipes Campbell to build a 97-92 lead with 2:00 to play. Point guard RJ Bell's bucket combined with Shannon's basket put CC up 7 at 101-94 with 1:17 to play. RWU would cut it to five at 104-99 with 40 seconds to play before four free throws down the stretch put the Bears into the semifinals as they outscored the Eagles 22-13 in the overtime period.
Shannon of course led the Golden Bears with 25 points and 14 rebounds as he was one of three players to finish with double-doubles on the day. Bell added 17 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 assists while Stone posted the third double-double of 17 points, 11 reobunds, 2 assists and a block.
Clinton put 7 different players in double-digit scoring on the day also. Eromosele played big off the bench scoring 15 points with 3 assists in 30 minutes while Snipes Campbell recorded 12 points. Borders also scored 10 points with 5 boards and a block off the bench while Hammond posted 12 points.