Box Score (XML)
PITTSFORD, N.Y. (December 4, 2013) – Senior forward
Patrick Downer hit a game-winning three point shot at the buzzer to give Roberts Wesleyan a 70-68 win over Nazareth College in the opening round of the Wendy's College Classic.
The sixth-seeded Redhawks escaped with the win after Downer was able to make his shot as time expired.
Before his heroics, the Golden Flyers took the lead when Maurice Mills made a layup and converted the three-point play with a free-throw after drawing a foul to make it a 68-67 Nazareth advantage with just eight seconds remaining.
The game was a back-and-forth affair as both teams swapped the lead 13 times and tied the score 10 ten times. In the second half, Roberts Wesleyan was unable to pull away as they could only muster a five-point lead on several occasions.
For the visiting Redhawks,
Isaac Medeiros was the main offensive threat as he netted 25 points after going 10 of 16 from the field and 5 of 7 from the free-throw line.
Sophomore forward
Tyrel Dixon was the closest to picking up a double-double as he had 14 points and nine rebounds on the night while also tallying five assists.
Downer was quiet for most of the game, but was able to score six of his 11 points at the free-throw line. As a team, Roberts Wesleyan shot 71.4% at the charity stripe.
Nazareth, who was previously undefeated, was led by Mills and Brad Ford who each scored 16 points.
For the Redhawks, this was the first opening round win since defeating the College at Brockport in 2009.
The win puts the Redhawks at 3-2 on the season as they advance to the semifinals on Friday when they host the University of Rochester, the seven seed, at 8pm.
