Hosting the GSC-SSC Crossover, the No. 25 University of Alabama in Huntsville upended the No. 1 team in the country, the Nova Southeastern Sharks, on a pair of free throws in the final second to take a 94-92 win in SportsMED Arena in Spragins Hall.
For the first time since 2010, the Chargers (3-0) earned a win against the Sharks (1-1) in only the second game between the two in Huntsville, the last coming in a win for UAH in 2006.
Xavier Martinez started off another double-digit scoring night for himself with a triple to set the tone for the highscoring game. Neither side gave much ground through the entire game, particularly through the first nine minutes as UAH held the 20-18 lead.
Shortly after, however, the Chargers began to go on a run with seven straight points to take a 10-point lead. Martinez kickstarted the run with another three before following up with a layup. Griffin Cooper capped the run by sinking a pair of free throws to go up 30-20. The Sharks closed the gap, though, as both sides traded shots before Nova Southeastern took the go-ahead basket with six seconds remaining to take a 46-44 lead at halftime.
Through the first half, both sides shot at a high percentage as UAH knocked down 53.6% of its shots while the Sharks shot 46.9%. Both sides also knocked down six threes through the half as Martinez hit four while Joshua Gibson and Owen Lentz hit the other two.
The threes continued to rain for the Chargers to open the second half with UAH knocking down three straight on a 9-0 run with Gibson, Aiden Weaver and Bryce Mason hitting from beyond the arc to take a 53-46 lead. UAH carried the lead the majority of the half until the Sharks tied the game at 76 with 7:41 remaining. Both sides traded the lead six times over the final minutes.
A combo of the UAH forwards' Jordan Mabe and Cooper built the largest lead of the final minutes for the Chargers, 89-85. Cooper opened the 6-0 run with a layup while Mabe followed up with a layup of his own before each hit a free throw.
In the final 34 seconds, the Sharks went ahead, 90-89, but the lead was short-lived as Mabe hit a pair of free throws before Mason added one of his own to go up 92-90. Under 10 seconds, Nova Southeastern once again tied the game on a pair of free throws as both sides stared down the game's finish.
With the Sharks pressuring, UAH pushed the ball downcourt before the ball was pushed out of bounds with 0.6 seconds. With the game teetering on the brink of going to overtime, Martinez hit Weaver on the inbound pass at the rim where Weaver was fouled with 0.3 seconds remaining.
At the line, Weaver sank both shots to secure the win to close out the weekend's tournament.
IN THE STATS
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Joshua Gibson led the Chargers in scoring with 18 points. Xavier Martinez, Jordan Mabe and Jax Abernathy each hit double-digit points with 17, 15 and 11, respectively.
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Bryce Mason led UAH on the boards with eight rebounds while Griffin Cooper added another seven. The Chargers held the rebound advantage, 28-25.
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Martinez also led the Chargers with eight assists while Mason and Gibson each added two.
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Cooper also recorded three blocks while Mabe and Aiden Weaver each added one more.
COMING UPÂ
UAH will remain at home to host Ecclesia on Friday, November 20, at 5:30 p.m.
