Box Score
NEW CASTLE, Del. – Ralph Hegamin and Kehinde Roberts each poured in 25 points as visiting West Chester University remained unbeaten on the year with a marathon, 80-77, victory over host Wilmington University in a non-league men’s basketball contest that took five overtime periods to decide a winner.
The five overtimes set a new school record for West Chester (3-0) and tied the PSAC mark established by California (Pa.) vs. Edinboro in 1989. It was two OTs shy of the Division II mark set by Yankton and Black Hills on Feb. 18, 1956. West Chester and Kutztown played a four-overtime contest in 1988.
It was the longest NCAA game played since Syracuse defeated Connecticut in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament last March in six OTs.
Hegamin posted his third straight 20-plus outing of the season to help the Golden Rams remain undefeated in 2009-10. The senior swingman played 61 of the 65 minutes in the game. Roberts’ 25 points established a new career-high for the junior.
Greg Maugle and Harley Williamson each pulled down 10 rebounds in the game. Hegamin was one board short of his third straight double-double. Maugle contributed six offensive rebounds.
Wilmington’s Brandon Savage (20 points, 17 rebounds in 62 minutes of action) was fouled with two seconds left in regulation and the Wildcats trailing by one. He hit the first of his two before missing the potential game-winner, sending the contest into overtime.
Wilmington’s Blake Rubenstein hit a pair of free throws with three seconds left in the first overtime, and West Chester freshman, Williamson, mis-fired on a long-range 3-pointer at the buzzer.
In the second OT, Roberts sunk two foul shots for WCU with 32 seconds remaining to tie the game for the eighth time at 61-all. The third OT was Wilmington’s turn to knot things up and continue the tilt. Mike Myers was fouled in the act of making a jumper with three ticks on the clock and completed the conventional three-point play to force a third OT.
Rubenstein then provided some more heroics for the home team when he drained a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the fourth OT that tied the game at 72 and sent it into the fifth overtime period.
West Chester finally outscored Wilmington, 8-5, in the fifth and decisive overtime session to come away with its third straight win to open up the season.
