The men’s basketball team returned to Moody Coliseum Wednesday after a three-game road trip and won 70-69 in overtime in what was a back-and-forth thriller against New Orleans.
ACU was able to put together a successful first half shooting 61 percent from the field along with a three point percentage of 56 percent.
The Wildcats kept a comfortable lead for most of the half and went into halftime with a nine-point 36-27 lead.
However, New Orleans started out the second half hot while the Wildcats were only able to muster one free throw until the 14:15 mark of the second half.
New Orleans was able tie the score at 37 with a 10-1 run until junior guard Isaiah Tripp stopped the run with a three pointer at 14:15.
The game went back-and-forth as neither team could break past a three-point lead.
With the score tied 58-58 towards the end of regulation, the Wildcats got the ball with a three second shot clock and game clock difference.
As the shot clock expired sophomore center Jalone Friday hit a three-pointer to put his team up 61-58.
Three seconds remained on the clock however, and after a timeout, New Orleans was able to make two quick passes to its end of the court and senior guard Nate Frye drilled a three-pointer to send the game to OT.
But the Wildcats regrouped and started on a 5-0 run in OT until New Orleans earned three points off of a jumper and a free throw in separate possessions.
With the game tied at 67, Friday was able to make another clutch three pointer with 37 seconds left in the game which ended up being enough to give the Wildcats the victory.
Friday, who led the team in points with 15, talked about his clutch three-pointer moments.
“Coach told me to stick with the game plan and he said he was gonna keep coming to me, so that’s what I did and I just didn’t shy away from my game.” Friday said.
With this win the men are now 3-7 in conference and 9-12 overall while New Orleans fell to 7-3 in conference and 12-9 overall.
Tripp weighed in on what getting this win meant to him and the team.
“It feels great, we needed that one in a big way,” said Tripp. “To come back home and win a game like that in front of our fans is an awesome feeling and experience as well.”
The men will next take on first place Sam Houston State on Saturday in Moody Coliseum while New Orleans will return home to face Nicholls State.
