MADISON, N.J. (December 7, 2022) – Sophomore
Jack Spellman and first-year
Matt Leming sank back-to-back threes in overtime to power the Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team to a 55-50 victory over FDU-Florham Wednesday in a MAC Freedom matchup at the Ferguson Recreation Center.
Spellman posted his third straight double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Ducks, who won their fifth straight to improve to 5-4 on the year and to a perfect 3-0 in conference play. Stevens has won the last eight meetings between the programs.
Jamal Santana had 14 points and Matthew Johnson added 13 for the Devils, who lost their second straight in falling to 1-8 on the year and to 1-2 in the MAC Freedom.
Spellman had six of the Ducks' nine points in the extra session, including a long three that put the Ducks up by four and then a layup in the final minute that put the game out of reach. The Westfield, New Jersey native shot 9 for 15 from the field, including 2 for 4 from behind the arc, and made three of his five free throws to finish with his third 20-plus point-performance of the season.
The Ducks were able to force overtime after overcoming as much as an 18-point deficit in the first half. Trailing by 14 at halftime, the Ducks shot 43% from the floor in the second half to climb back into the game. Conversely, the Ducks defensive focus held FDU-Florham just to six makes on 23 attempts, including 1 for 11 from behind the arc. Senior
Conor Coffey found Spellman for a layup to begin the comeback. Spellman then found junior
Frank Gelfman for a short jumper as the Ducks used an 11-0 run to trim their deficit to six.
Coffey scored on a driving layup to draw the teams even at 40, marking the first time the teams were deadlocked since the opening tip. Coffey would again team up with Spellman for a layup in the final minute for the Ducks' first lead of the game (46-44). The lead would be short-lived, however, as Carson Woods scored on a short jumper in the final seconds to tie the score at the end of regulation.
It was all Spellman in the early portion of overtime. The second-year forward scored the first points of the extra period from the line and then drained a long three to put the Ducks up by four. Woods answered with a layup but Leming made it two threes in two possessions to put the guests up by five.
Johnson would hit a jumper to bring FDU within three, but after a Stevens timeout, Spellman scored his final bucket of the game to give Stevens a five-point advantage with 22 seconds left to play. The Ducks forced consecutive missed shots by FDU to close out the victory.
Inside the Numbers
- After allowing FDU to shoot 45% from the floor in the opening half, the Ducks held the Devils to just 8 for 32 (25%) shooting in the second half and overtime.
- Stevens held FDU to just four baskets on 28 attempts from behind the arc (14.3%).
- Behind Spellman, the Ducks won the battle of the boards 44-33, including an 11-6 edge on the offensive glass.
- Coffey finished with a game-high six assists.
- Spellman blocked four shots.
- Gelfman proved to be an unsung hero, scoring a career-high six points to go along with five boards. He finished a game-high +28 in 30 minutes of action.
- Each team scored 30 points in the paint.
- Leming snagged a career-high eight rebounds.
Up Next
- Men's basketball hits the road for a non-conference tilt on Dec. 11 at No. 12 Middlebury.
- The teams have split two all-time meetings, but this will be the first meeting between the squads in Vermont.
- Links for live stats and video are posted to StevensDucks.com.
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