SALEM, Ore. - James Conti hit the first of two free throws with 1.1 seconds remaining in overtime Friday night to give Pacific Lutheran an exciting 82-81 victory over the Willamette Bearcats in the Northwest Conference men's basketball opener for both teams at Cone Fieldhouse.
The victory gives PLU a 3-2 overall record while Willamette falls to 1-4 with the defeat.
The Bearcats had tied a back-and-forth overtime session at 81-81 on Sean Dart's layup with 10.9 seconds left on the clock. After a timeout with six seconds left, Pacific Lutheran got the ball to Conti, the team's four-year starting point guard. He was fouled by Terrell Malley and hit the first of two charity tosses. Willamette rebounded the second shot miss but was unable to get off a shot to win the game.
Willamette took the biggest lead either team enjoyed about nine minutes into the contest, going up 21-13 on a free throw by Oliver Hughes. The Lutes fought back and regained the lead at 33-32 on Conti's layup with 1:47 left in the half, but Taylor Mounts hit a three-point shot with 43 seconds remaining to give the hosts a 35-33 halftime edge.
The teams traded points through the first 14 minutes of the second period before the Lutes scored seven unanswered points to break away from a 65-65 deadlock. Conti started the run with a free throw, followed by a Cameron Schilling layup, a Drew Earnest three-pointer and an Arvid Isaksen basket. That gave the Lutes a 72-65 advantage with 4:35 to play.
Malley got his team back in the game with six straight points, capped by a three-point bucket to with 2:40 on the clock. PLU eventually regained a 75-71 lead on Schilling's jumper with 90 seconds left, but Willamette scored the final four points of overtime, including a basket by Trevor Bos with 12 seconds left, to force the overtime.
A total of six players, including all five of PLU's starters, finished in double-figure scoring, led by Earnest with 17 points. Conti added 16 points, Kai Hoyt had 13, Johnny Tveter added 12 and Schilling and Isaksen had 11 each. Tveter, making his first collegiate start, led the Lutes with eight rebounds, followed by Schilling with seven.
Pacific Lutheran shot 39 percent from the field (33-for-85), while Willamette hit 41 percent of its shots (31-for-75). The Bearcats had a narrow 51-49 rebounding advantage.
Malley led his team with 21 points, while Mounts had 17 points and nine rebounds.
The Lutes are back in action on Saturday, facing the host Linfield Wildcats in McMinnville, Ore., at 8 p.m.
