STEUBENVILLE, OH – The Hilbert College men's basketball team improved their Allegheny Mountain Colligate Conference record to 2-1 after their 87-81 overtime road-win at Franciscan University December 14. Both halves of the game were mirror images of each other as each team dominated play in opposite periods before the visitors outscored the Barons by six points in overtime to improve to 6-2 overall. Franciscan slipped to 1-5 and still searches for the first league win.

Junior Trevor Stark made ten buckets, three from beyond the arc, to lead all scorers with 25 points in addition to his game-high 3 steals. Sophomore Jerame Owens played solid in the paint for the Hawks adding 24 points and 13 rebounds to earn his fourth consecutive double-double in the OT win.

Sophomore Sean Weisansal gave Hilbert quality minutes making four-of-six at the foul line and distributing the ball for game-high 7 assists, while timing it right for two blocks and one steal in 26 minutes. Floor general, CJ Hodge hustled the court for 41 minutes swiping two steals, passing for two assists and getting credit for one block in addition to his five points.

Moses Sullivan led the Barons has he finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

What started as a competitive game early turned into a double-digit lead for Hilbert after Stark knocked down his first three-pointer with 6:24 remaining in first half. The lefty guard followed with another long-ball and a short jumper before Weisansal put his hurt on the Barons with a downtown shot immediately after.

Xavier Major gave the visitors their largest lead of the game (38-18) at 3:04. Hilbert rushed to a 41-26 half time lead after burning the nets on 55% field goal shooting. The Hawks converted 16 points off Franciscan's turnovers and outscored their bench by six points by intermission.

Hilbert held onto the lead and got back to an 18-point spread when CJ Hodge hit a three-point shot at 16:40. Then the tide turned in Franciscan's favor; the Barons stormed back going on a 17-4 run to cut the score to 53-48 at 10:54. Hilbert went cold from the floor, were whistled for fouls and missed open shots while Franciscan found their way back by hitting free throws and scoring in the paint more than from the perimeter.

Xavier Major's tip-in at 4:50 gave Hilbert a nine-point hold (62-53) which disappeared when the hosts burned a 9-0 run to tie it up by 2:36. As time clicked down, Jerame Owens carried the Hawks, scoring the team's final basket and making all four free throws to take a one point lead. Franciscan had a chance to win it in regulation, but after sinking the first of two foul shots, Moses Sullivan missed the second to force overtime.

Jalen Smith knocked down a three to give Hilbert momentum in the five-minute extended period. Owens converted a Weisansal pass into two points in the paint and then he followed up a missed Weisansal three-pointer into an offensive rebound, put-back for a 75-70 score. Smith, Stark and Ryan Brewster earned buckets (81-76) before the game came down to the late-game Franciscan fouls. Hilbert responded going a perfect six-for-six at the line at the hands of Weisansal, Stark and Owens.

While Hilbert shot better than 50% in the first period, they went almost cold in the second half, hitting enough shots (28%) to play on. The Hawks sank six of their nine attempts in overtime and finished the game making three more 3-point shorts than Franciscan. Franciscan was consistent for the game, never dropping below 40% FG%. Franciscan bettered Hilbert on the glass (41-37), forced 19 turnovers and finished with 5 blocked shots.

Hilbert has a few weeks off before they play again on January 4th against Keystone College at 3pm.