Lourdes University Athletics

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Trailing by 16 points with under seven minutes to play, Lourdes rallied to force overtime before eventually defeating Carlow 78-74 on Saturday afternoon inside the Russell J. Ebeid Recreation Center.
 
"We found a way to win today," head coach Josh Gibson said after the game.  "I can't say enough about the heart and resiliency our team showed late in the second half.  We had multiple guys step up and make plays for our team in different situations."
 
A 14-4 run early in the game put Carlow in front 16-10, an advantage the Celtics would continue to build upon throughout the first half.  After Lourdes pulled within four, 21-17, the visitors scored eight unanswered points to push the advantage to 12 before taking a 34-24 lead into halftime.
 
Lourdes was able to whittle the deficit to four, 39-35, four minutes out of the locker room, but the Celtics immediately responded with a 15-6 run to push the lead back to double figures, 54-41, at the 11:31 mark.  The lead swelled to 16, 64-48, with under seven minutes to play before Lourdes began its comeback.
 
Back-to-back three-pointers by Bryce McComb (Swanton, Ohio/Swanton H.S.) and Clif Snow (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown H.S.) started a 10-0 run in less than two minutes, pulling the Gray Wolves within six with five minutes to play.
 
The lead went back to 10 heading into the final two-and-a-half minutes before the Gray Wolves went on one final spurt.  A three-pointer by Evan Vasquez (Delta, Ohio/Delta H.S.) pulled Lourdes within 70-67 with a minute to play before the sophomore added a free throw to cut the deficit to two with 23.2 seconds to play.  After the Celtics missed the front end of a one-and-one, Desmond Frazier (Ocala, Fla./Dunnellon H.S.) was fouled taking the ball to the basket, and made both charity tosses with 5.4 seconds to play, forcing overtime.
 
In the extra session, with the game tied at 74 and a minute to play, Malik Thurman (Dayton, Ohio/Stebbins H.S.) drove in for a layup to put Lourdes in front.  Carlow had two possessions to tie the game, but came up empty and Snow solidified the win with a pair of free throws with 5.5 seconds to play.
 
Snow led Lourdes with 18 points and eight rebounds while Thurman added 13 points.  Jordan Fabry (Shalersville, Ohio/Crestwood H.S.) chipped in 11 points as Lourdes finished the game shooting 46.2% from the floor, including 59.3% over the final half and overtime.
 
Tony Acrie led Carlow (0-1) with 18 points and 15 boards as the Celtics held a 42-38 advantage on the glass, including an 11-3 edge on the offensive glass. 
 
"Hopefully as we move into conference play we recognize the energy and consistency it takes to win over all 40 minutes," Gibson concluded.
 
Lourdes (4-1) will remain home on Wednesday evening, as the Gray Wolves open Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play against Aquinas.  Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. inside the Ebeid Rec Center.