November 22, 2011
Wolverines win in double overtime
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College men's basketball team improved to 3-1 overall by rallying for an 84-75 double-overtime victory over visiting Kenyon (2-2) Tuesday night in non-conference action in the Grove City College Arena.
Grove City trailed 54-46 with eight minutes left in regulation before forging a 59-59 tie by the end of the second period. The Wolverines finally grabbed control of the game with a 10-0 run in the second overtime period.
Kenyon took a 69-68 lead early in the second overtime but consecutive layups by junior forward Nate Rambacher (Newmanstown, Pa./Eastern Lebanon) put the Wolverines up 72-69. Kenyon's Jonathan Amador tied the game with a three-pointer with 2:20 left but the Wolverines countered with their 10-0 spurt.
Senior guard Brett Matson (Wexford, Pa./Pine-Richland) ignited the run with a layup and then added a three-point play on Grove City's next possession. Freshman guard Mitch Marmelstein (San Juan Capistrano, Calif./St. Margaret's) pushed the lead to 79-72 with a layup and Matson helped finish off the game by going 5 for 6 at the foul line in the final 26 seconds.
Marmelstein's three-point play with 7:42 left in the second half slashed Kenyon's lead to 54-49 and Rambacher followed with two free throws. Freshman center Josh Eberly (New Providence, Pa./Solanco) cut the lead to one with a basket and Matson tied the game by splitting two foul shots with 3:38 left.
Senior center Kris Verderber (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) gave Grove City a 58-57 lead by depositing a layup with 2:19 left in regulation. Verderber led all players with a career-high 20 points.
Matson added 19 points, nine rebounds and four assists for Grove City while Rambacher recorded 11 points and seven rebounds. Freshman guard Christian Durbin (Harmony, Pa./Seneca Valley) also had four assists.
Brian Lebowitz led Kenyon with an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double. Marcus Healey fired in 15 points and Cooper Handelsman added 13 points and nine assists. Kenyon outrebounded Grove City 56-46.
For the game, Grove City shot 29 of 65 (45 percent) from the field while limiting Kenyon to a 28-for-82 (34 percent) performance. Kenyon did hit 10 three-point goals, compared to just one for Grove City. The Wolverines forced 18 turnovers while committing just 11. Kenyon led 28-25 at halftime.
It is Grove City's first double-overtime win since a 77-76 triumph at Hiram December 14, 2005. Grove City last won a double-OT game at home January 14, 2004 when the Wolverines pulled out an 87-85 win over archrival Geneva. Kenyon defeated Grove City in overtime last year, 83-76, in Gambier, Ohio.
The Wolverines open Presidents' Athletic Conference play November 30 against visiting Bethany at 8 p.m.
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