Box Score Game Book (pdf)
STATESBORO, Ga. – The Wofford men’s basketball team defeated Georgia Southern 82-76 in overtime at Hanner Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon. The Terriers overcame the tenacious full-court pressure defense by the Eagles and secured a bye in the upcoming Southern Conference Tournament.
Wofford has won eight in a row and is 21-8 on the season and 13-3 in the SoCon, which is tied for first with College of Charleston. Georgia Southern is 7-21 overall and 4-11 in the conference. The Terriers had five players in double-figures, led by Noah Dahlman with 21 points. Jamar Diggs added 15, with Junior Salters, Brad Loesing and Tim Johnson each with eleven points. Tim Johnson had twelve rebounds and Noah Dahlman had ten, as each had a double-double.The Eagles were led by Rory Spencer with 19 points and seven rebounds.
“We were not great and I don’t think we were very smart today,” said head coach Mike Young. “Just to get out of here with a win is a good thing. We did some nice things in overtime to secure the win. I am tickled to death for our team. If you had asked me before this four-game road stretch, I would have signed up for three wins. To get four wins speaks volumes about the character and toughness of our team. It will be nice to get back home for the last two.”
Tim Johnson scored the first four points for the Terriers on the way to a 7-4 lead four minutes into the game. Wofford was able to push the advantage to 17-12 after a jumper by Terry Martin at the ten minute mark. Antonio Hanson hit a three for the Eagles, but it was matched by Junior Salters at the other end for a 26-18 score at 6:35.
Georgia Southern added another three to make it a 26-21 game, but the Terriers scored the next six points to take a 32-21 lead at 3:21. The Eagles had three pointers by Antonio Hanson and Colby Wohlleb in the final minute as they cut the lead to 33-29 at the half.
The Terriers opened the second half with an 8-0 run the included two three pointers by Junior Salters and a lay-up by Tim Johnson to take a 41-29 lead just two minutes into the half that forced the Eagles to call timeout. Georgia Southern scored the next five points to cut the lead back to 41-34. The teams traded buckets and at the first media time out the score was 45-38 in favor of the Terriers.
The Eagles scored the next five points to cut the lead to 45-43 after a three by Colby Wohlleb. Wofford pushed the lead back to six points after back-to-back buckets from Noah Dahlman for a 50-44 score at the 12:58 mark. The Eagles would then use a 9-0 run that began with a three by Colby Wohlleb to take the lead at 53-50 with nine minutes in the half.
After a technical foul called on Tim Johnson and two made free throws, the Eagles had a 55-52 advantage with 7:56 on the clock. The lead was five for Georgia Southern, but Noah Dahlman added a traditional three-point play to cut it to 57-55 with 4:44 remaining. The Eagles pushed the lead back to four points, but Noah Dahlman made it a one-point game at 62-61 with 2:45 on the clock after two free throws. With the Eagles holding a three point lead, Jamar Diggs hit a three to tie the game at 63 with 1:38 remaining. Wofford got the ball back, but turned it over with a shot clock violation with two seconds left. A last second shot by the Eagles missed and the game went to overtime.
In the extra period, Wofford scored first and it was matched by the Eagles for a 68-68 game. The Terriers ran off the next six points, including four b Noah Dahlman, for a 74-68 lead with three minutes on the clock. Wofford was able to take a 77-70 lead after a two-and-one by Brad Loesing. The Terriers hit five-of-six free throws in the final ninety seconds to secure the 82-76 victory.
Wofford shot 45.2% from the floor and were 41.2% from three. From the free throw line, the Terriers were 65.0%. Georgia Southern was 45.2% overall and were 41.2% from behind the arc. They were 65.0% from the line. Wofford had a 39-32 lead on the boards.
Noah Dahlman scored in double-figures for the 29th time this season and has a streak of 42 games with ten or more points. Terry Martin and Krzysztof Janiszewski were called for a double technical at 4:42 in the first half. It was the first overtime game of the season for the Terriers.
With the victory, the Terriers have 21 wins on the season which is the most since moving to NCAA Division I. It marks only the eighth 20-win season in school history and the first since the 1993-94 season. Wofford has won fourteen of their last fifteen games.
The Terriers return home on Thursday, February 25 against the College of Charleston at 7:00 pm. With the win by UNC Greensboro over The Citadel on Saturday afternoon, the Terriers claim either first or second in the South and will have a bye in the upcoming Southern Conference Tournament.
