The Colorado College men's basketball team nearly staged a miraculous comeback, but a would-be game-winning three-pointer with a fraction more than six seconds remaining would not stay down and the University of Chicago escaped Reid Arena with a 78-74 victory on Saturday afternoon.

After the Tigers pulled to within 76-74 on a Scott Cunningham free throw with 36 seconds to play, they used a full-court press to force a turnover and, after a time out, worked the clock down for a last-second shot.

Freshman guard Edgar Romero launched a three-pointer from the right corner, but the ball rattled off both sides of the rim before popping out and landing in the hands of Chicago's Ryan Martin. Martin sealed the Maroons' victory by sinking a pair of free throws.

Chicago built a 25-point cushion when Skyler Twyman sank a pair of free throws with 5:29 remaining in the first half, but CC began to chip away at its deficit and closed out the first 20 minutes on a 16-7 surge to trim its hole to 16 points. 

The Tigers pulled to within single-digits for the first time in the second half when freshman guard Scott Ruegg sank a pair of free throws with 10:02 to go, and Colorado College cut its deficit to 64-60 when Adrian Price scored two of his game-high 16 points on a jumper in the paint with 7:56 to play.

The Maroons answered with 9-4 surge to extend their advantage to nine point, but then watched as CC went on a 10-3 run to make it a one-possession game.

Cunningham produced 14, four rebounds and three assists for the Tigers, while Romero finished with 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals.

Martin led Chicago with 15 points and added seven rebounds and three assists.
      
    
Coach's Comments
"Our guys fought tonight," head coach Jeff Conarroe said. "Everyone in the Colorado College community should be proud of their effort. To dig out of a hole like that showed great character. Chicago is a very good team in one of the best leagues in the country, but there are no moral victories. We should have won that game and that falls on me in having us prepared to play and executing down the stretch. We are on the right track and I'm excited about the future."
          
Colorado College Standouts
Scott Ruegg finished with nine points, three steals and a pair of assists.
Adrian Price led the Tigers with six rebounds.

University of Chicago Standouts
Bryce Hopkins scored 13 points and pulled down seven rebounds.
Brandon Beckman finished with 14 points and a pair of assists.
 
Notes
Colorado College slipped to 1-1.
The University of Chicago is 1-0.
 
Next for the Tigers
Colorado College plays host to Oglethorpe University on Saturday, Nov. 13, at 4 p.m.