FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Wartburg men's basketball opened the Cruzin' Classic with an overtime victory over the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 82-76 on Tuesday, Dec. 20. The Knights are now 4-6 overall and remain 1-2 in American Rivers Conference play.
 
Game Summary

• First Half
  • Wartburg jumped out to a 5-0 lead early, but the Corsairs answered with a 7-0 run of their own
  • After three lead changes, the score was tied at 13 apiece with 8:44 to play
  • The Knights trailed by five before layups from Reid Wiley and Richie Rosenblum cut the lead to one
  • Wartburg took the lead after a Jack Molstead layup, but UMass Dartmouth regained the lead the next possession
  • Baskets in the paint from Trent Allard and Marshun Williams cut the Corsairs lead to 33-30 at halftime
• Second Half
  • The Knights trailed by as much as eight early in the second half
  • Wartburg got the lead down to three multiple times, but Umass Dartmouth kept holding on to the lead
  • The Corsairs lead got up to nine with just over six minutes to play, but the Knights kept chipping away and with 1:45 to play, Austin Bienemann tied the game at 66 all.
  • The Knights took their first lead of the half at 67-66 after a Williams free throw, but Umass Dartmouth got to the line and made one free throw to send the game to overtime
• Overtime
  • Wartburg came out of the break hot on offense and scored five quick points after a Williams three and a Keagan John layup
  • Codey Hicks added a free throw to push the lead to 73-67, but the Corsairs responded with a 6-1 run to come within one point with 1:07 to play
  • Hicks made a layup to get the lead back to three
  • Wartburg iced the game going 6-8 from the free throw line
    • Molstead went 4/4 on the final four attempts

 
Top Performers

• Williams
  • 23 points (career high)
    • 7/11 FG
    • 1/1 3P
    • 8/9 FT
  • Nine rebounds
  • One assist
  • One block
• Hicks
  • 12 points
    • 5/7 FG
  • Four rebounds
  • One block
• Molstead
  • 18 points
    • 4/11 FG
    • 1/2 3P
    • 9/11 FT
  • Three rebounds
  • Three assists
  • One steal

Notes/Streaks

• Knights end three-game losing streak
• This game featured seven ties and eight lead changes
• The head coaches, Brian Baptiste and Dick Peth, are No. 1 and 2 in all-time wins of active Division III coaches
  • Baptiste: 699
  • Peth: 612
• The Knights bench had three players with five or more points
  • Bienemann: 6, Allard: 5, Wiley: 5
• Wartburg shooting percentages:
  • FG: 43.9%
  • 3P: 33.3%
  • FT: 69%
• Knights are now 27-20 in overtime games