In the longest game in Lourdes University men's basketball history, the Gray Wolves came out on the short end of a 111-106 triple-overtime contest to the University of Northwestern Ohio on Wednesday evening inside of Racer Gymnasium in Lima, Ohio.
 
The 106 points scored by the Gray Wolves set a new single game record, surpassing the 105 scored on Nov. 8, 2011 at Ohio State-Mansfield.
 
"Sometimes basketball reminds us all why it's the greatest game on earth and two teams play hard and play well and it's really unfortunate that one of them has to lose," head coach Josh Gibson said afterwards.  "Both teams played well and left it all out on the floor.  Both made big plays at big times and ultimately, they just made a couple more at the end.  I'm really proud of the guys and how they played and fought as a team tonight."
 
Malik Thurman (Dayton, Ohio/Stebbins H.S.) scored a career-high 28 points while Kadeim Jones (Dayton, Ohio/Marshall H.S.) added a collegiate-best 21 points for the Gray Wolves.  Clif Snow (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown H.S.) posted his third double-double of the year, scoring 17 points while adding 15 rebounds and Deuce Martin (Lorain, Ohio/Clearview H.S.) chipped in 15 points for the Gray Wolves.
 
Lourdes fell behind early, 7-0, before taking the lead with an 11-2 run midway through the first half which the Gray Wolves in front 29-26 after a Hamish Abbott (Melbourne, Australia/Rowville Secondary H.S.) layup.  The Racers responded with another 12 unanswered points to forge in front yet again, 43-34, before taking a 45-41 lead into the locker room.
 
Northwestern Ohio pushed the lead to 12, 55-43, early in the second half before Lourdes went on a 16-7 spurt to pull within three at the 12-minute mark.  The Racers again extended the lead back to double figures, 74-64, with 8:30 remaining before the Gray Wolves again clawed back.  A triple by Thurman made it a one-point game, 80-79, with just under 3:30 to play in regulation.  The Gray Wolves were never able to take the lead in the remainder of regulation, but Jones' basket with 25.3 seconds to play tied the contest to force overtime tied at 85.
 
Lourdes scored first in the first extra session before the Racers responded with six points to take a 91-87 lead with under a minute to play.  Jones hit a jumper with 45 seconds to play, and after a UNOH miss, tied the game after making two free throws with 2.4 seconds to play.
 
Neither team led by more than two points in the second overtime, with Northwestern Ohio tying the game at 100 after splitting a pair of free throws with 6.1 seconds to play.  UNOH never trailed in the third extra session, and led by three, 109-106, with 18 seconds to play.  The Gray Wolves had a chance to tie, but the three-point attempt in the closing seconds missed the mark.
 
Lourdes shot 48.8% from the floor and committed just 10 turnovers in the contest while the Racers connected at a 47.0% clip and committed 11 miscues.  UNOH drained 17 three-pointers, shooting at 47.2% while the Gray Wolves made 14 triples.
 
Xander Smart led Northwestern Ohio (13-16, 6-13 WHAC) with 26 points and 16 rebounds while Sadeeq Bello added 24 points.
 
Lourdes (10-18, 3-16) will close out the 2017-2018 season at home on Saturday afternoon, hosting Rochester (Mich.) inside the Russell J. Ebeid Recreation Center.  Tipoff is set for 3 p.m. with Senior Day activities taking place prior to the contest.