Junior Sinks Winning Free Throws with 5.6 Seconds Left

CHESTERTOWN, MD -- Junior guard Kevin Breslin (Hagerstown, MD/St. Maria Goretti) converted the game-tying and game-winning free throws with 5.6 seconds remaining to give host Washington College a dramatic 77-76 Centennial Conference men's basketball win over visiting Muhlenberg this afternoon inside Cain Athletic Center. The game saw 14 lead changes, including 10 in the second half, and five ties.

A pair of free-throw shots by Austin Curry with 32 seconds left had given the Mules (5-2, 1-2 Centennial) a 76-73 cushion with the shot clock turned off. Breslin missed a three on the Shoremen's (3-4, 2-1) next possession, but an offensive rebound by junior guard Mark DeBoy (Baltimore, MD/Mount St. Joseph) led to a drive and lay-in by Breslin with 11.2 seconds left, which trimmed the margin to 76-75. Following a Washington timeout, Muhlenberg was unable to get the ball inbounds before the Mules were whistled for a five-second violation, turning the ball back over to the Shoremen. Breslin was then fouled on a drive to the basket with 5.6 seconds left and sank both free throws to give the Shoremen a 77-76 lead. A long three-pointer by Curry on the Mules' final possession was off the mark and the Shoremen came away with the win.

Neither team led by more than five points during the second half. The Shoremen had a 69-64 advantage with 7:55 left before going cold as they made just one of their next six shots as the Mules took a 72-71 lead on a dunk by Spencer Liddic with 4:47 to play. Breslin put the Shoremen back ahead, 73-72, with a lay-up with 3:17 to go, but a Curry lay-in 15 seconds later gave Muhlenberg a 74-73 advantage. Neither team would score again until Curry's two free throws with 32 seconds left.

The Shoremen led by as many as 12 points in the first half before the Mules went on a 23-9 run to take a 36-34 lead on a three-pointer by Curry with 1:52 left in the period. Washington scored five of the last six points of the half to grab a 39-37 lead at the intermission.

Breslin finished with a team-high 24 points for the Shoremen, including a perfect eight-for-eight performance at the charity stripe. Sophomore forward Tony Hawkins (Mt. Ephraim, NJ/Haddon Township) scored 10 points in 13 minutes off the bench for Washington, while junior forward Adam Naymick (Hanover, PA/Delone Catholic) dished out a career-high six assists to go along with a team-best seven rebounds and eight points.

Curry scored a game-high 26 points for the Mules, going 7-for-12 from the field and making his first four three-point attempts before missing at the buzzer. He was also 8-for-10 at the free-throw line. Liddic added 24 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. 

The Shoremen committed just six turnovers in the game, while dishing out 21 assists. Muhlenberg committed 20 turnovers and Washington took advantage to the tune of 29 points off turnovers to the Mules' two. Muhlenberg held a 44-27 advantage on the boards and scored 21 second-chance points to the Shoremen's 12. Muhlenberg shot 51% from the field, 46% from three-point range, and 68% from the line. Washington was 46%, 14%, and 63%, respectively.

The Shoremen return to action Wednesday with an 8:00 p.m. Centennial Conference game at Swarthmore.