Jan. 2, 2007

Box Score

NEWARK, NJ - Junior Greg Sprink's two free throws with four seconds left in overtime were the decisive points for visiting Navy in a 52-50 overtime win over New Jersey Institute of Technology in men's college basketball Tuesday night in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.

The free throws were the only points in overtime for Sprink, who finished as Navy's only double-figure scorer, at 16 points. The 6-foot-5 swingman also paced the Midshipmen with 9 rebounds and a game-high 5 assists, as Navy improved to 10-5.

NJIT senior guard Clayton Barker netted a game-high 19 points for the Highlanders, who have lost their last two games by a combined total of six points, with both games going down to the final four seconds--a 70-66 regulation loss to James Madison over the weekend in Orlando, Florida, and now the airtight overtime loss to Navy.

NJIT, which enjoyed a 40-35 rebounding advantage, was led on the boards by freshman Dan Stonkus, who recorded a career-best and game-high 11 rebounds, while also blocking four Navy shots. Junior Kraig Peters added a career-high 3 blocks, as NJIT turned aside eight shots as a team.

Navy held a 50-48 lead heading into the final 10 seconds of overtime, but NJIT's Nesho Milosevic tied the score on a tip-in with eight seconds left.

Navy immediately called timeout and set up a play for Sprink, the team's leading scorer on the season at 16.6 points per game coming in. He was fouled on a driving shot in the lane and calmly sank the winning points with four seconds left.

NJIT's Barker raced down the court on the ensuing possession, but his shot from the top of the key went off the front of the rim and was a split-second after the final buzzer, anyway.

Sprink also scored the tying bucket in regulation, making a layup with 1:18 remaining in the low-scoring game, for a 44-44 tie. NJIT had the ball twice and Navy had it once more, but neither team scored again until overtime.

Sprink's tying bucket capped a six-point comeback, as the Midshipmen kept NJIT off the scoreboard in regulation after Brett Johnson had given the Highlanders a 44-38 lead on two free throws with 5:37 left.

Freshman Trey Stanton, who was 0-for-3 on three-point attempts in regulation, accounted for Navy's first six overtime points on three-point baskets at 3:22 and 1:08, respectively.

NJIT, which took a 14-4 lead in the first 6:43, led at halftime 26-19 and didn't relinquish the lead until Bryce Bigham made a free throw to put Navy on top, 38-37, with 8:02 left in the second half.

Responding to their first deficit since midway through the second minute of the game, rattled off seven straight points, starting with an emphatic dunk and then a free throw by Stonkus to regain the lead, 40-38, with 7:18 remaining in regulation. Brett Johnson scored on a breakaway layup 18 seconds later and then hit two free throws for NJIT's final points off the second half with 5:37 left.

The Highlanders will visit Ithaca, NY, for a game at Cornell Sunday night at 7 o'clock.