#13 Stockton 77, William Paterson 76 (4 OT)

Omar Smith

Boxscore
13th-ranked Richard Stockton (13-2, 3-1) outlasted William Paterson (10-2, 2-1) 77-76 in four overtimes, the longest game in Stockton history. The teams came within one point of tying the NCAA Division III record of five overtimes, which has happened on four occasions. Omar Smith (Newark/Central) led Stockton with a team-high 21 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for a double-double.

Santini Lancioni (Runnemede/Paul VI) and Kevin Brown (Neptune/Neptune) scored 12 points apiece for the Ospreys. Smith played 56 of a possible 60 minutes while Lancioni and Jerome Hubbard (Neptune/ Neptune) each played 51 minutes.

Smith and Lancioni hit consecutive baskets to give Stockton a 77-73 lead with 2:34 left in the fourth overtime. William Paterson countered with a jumper 28 seconds later to pull within 77-75. The Pioneers then made the first of two free throws with three seconds remaining to make the score 77-76. The second free throw was off the mark but WPU managed an offensive rebound and jumper in traffic that was blocked by Michael Farrow (Whiteside/Middle Twp.) as time expired, giving Stockton the 77-76 win.

Earlier, Brown sank a layup with 42 seconds left in regulation for a 54-54 tie and William Paterson missed a jumper and tip-in in the closing seconds, creating overtime. Smith hit a free throw to give Stockton a 62-58 lead with 1:36 left in the first OT, but the Pioneers erased the four-point deficit in the final 1:01 to force double overtime at 62-62.

Smith hit two free throws to put Stockton ahead 69-64 with 1:10 to play in the second overtime but William Paterson rallied again, this time on a three-pointer and game-tying jumper with 10 seconds remaining to force the third overtime with a 69-69 tie. In the third OT, a jumper by Lancioni was answered with a William Paterson layup and neither team scored for the next four minutes, producing a 71-71 deadlock that resulted in the fourth and final overtime.