The Case Western Reserve University men's basketball team defeated the University of Rochester 90-87 in a thrilling overtime contest on Senior Night on Friday at Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland.
The win is the fifth straight for the Spartans, who improved to 17-3 overall and 7-3 in University Athletic Association play. CWRU remained in a tie for second place with Carnegie Mellon, who defeated Emory earlier in the night. Both teams are a game behind league leading Washington (Mo.), who defeated Brandeis on Friday. The five consecutive UAA wins for Case Western Reserve match the longest such streak in program history, equaling the five straight conference wins during the 2017-18 season.
The Yellowjackets fell to 14-7 overall and 4-6 in the UAA.
Rochester, who trailed for the entire game, tied the score at 82 with 23 seconds left in regulation. A three-point attempt by graduate student guard Mitch Prendergast on the ensuing Spartan possession fell short, and the game headed to overtime, the second contest requiring extra time for CWRU this season.
After a pair of Prendergast free throws to start overtime, the Yellowjackets tied the score on a dunk. Prendergast, who scored four of his 14 points in overtime, put the Spartans ahead with a jumper with 3:35 remaining. Following a scoreless possession for each team, junior guard Luke Thorburn blocked a Rochester layup to give CWRU the basketball with 2:20 left. After a clutch offensive rebound by senior forward Cole Frilling, his seventh of the night, Thorburn made a jumper with an assist from Prendergast to give the Spartans a four-point lead.
Rochester's Matt Niemczura made a three-pointer with 29 seconds left in the extra frame to make the score 88-87 in favor of the hosts. Following a missed Case Western Reserve free throw, the Yellowjackets regained possession with 18 seconds left. During a scramble for the ball with three seconds on the game clock, the visitors were charged with a technical foul after attempting to call a timeout with none remaining. Frilling sank both of the ensuing free throws, making the score 90-87, and a last-second three-point attempt by the Yellowjackets fell short, giving CWRU the victory.
Senior forward Josh Levy, making his first career start on Senior Night, led all players with a career-high 22 points on nine-of-12 shooting, including a four-for-six effort from beyond the arc. Prendergast recorded his first career double-double, scoring 14 points and adding a career-high 10 rebounds. Graduate student guard Danny Frauenheim recorded his second double-double of the season and the third of his career with 11 points and 10 assists. Frilling just missed a double-double of his own, scoring 13 points and collecting nine rebounds, and sophomore guard Sam Trunley added 12 points.
CWRU opened the contest with a 23-3 run, including 12 points for Levy. The Spartans led by as many as 21, 32-11, midway through the half, before Rochester cut the deficit to seven five minutes later. An 11-2 CWRU run, including a pair of three-pointers by Trunley, gave the Spartans a 46-30 advantage with 2:27 left in the half. Both teams added five points at the end of the half, giving CWRU a 51-35 lead heading into the break.
Rochester cut its deficit to nine, 65-56, with 11:36 remaining in the game. A three-pointer by sophomore forward Umar Rashid enabled CWRU to reclaim a double-digit advantage and ignited a 9-2 Spartan run to give the hosts a 16-point lead midway through the half. Rochester began chipping away at the deficit until finally tying the score at 82 with under a minute to go, forcing overtime.
CWRU totaled a season-high 23 assists in the contest, compared to just 11 for the Yellowjackets.
Prior to the game, the Spartans honored their five graduating team members—graduate students Frauenheim and Prendergast and seniors Frilling, Levy, and Jason Lewis—as part of Senior Night.
Case Western Reserve will host #24 Emory (15-6, 6-4 UAA) on Sunday morning for its final home game of the 2022-23 season. Tip off is scheduled for 11 a.m.
