The Tigers couldn't prevail in overtime in Sherman, TX, against the "Roos on Friday night as the Colorado College men's basketball team fell to Austin College 78-79.
 
CC had a chance with less than five seconds on the clock, but Asher Nofziger's fadeaway jumper fell short. The Tigers had a 78-76 lead with less than 40 seconds to go, but the 'Roos were able to get to the free-throw line multiple times in the final seconds and seal the game from there. 

"I thought we played a good game in stretches tonight," head coach Jeff Conarroe said. "Some of our best defensive possessions of the year and we are learning how to play together. We are also learning how to win and win on the road, which is still a work in progress."
 
The contest had eight lead changes, but Austin College won the battle at the charity stripe, making 30 of their 35 attempts. CC made it to the line for 29 attempts, converted on only 55.2 percent of them. 
 
CC made eight three-pointers and 38.1 percent of their long-range shots. Dinari Boykin led all scorers with a season-high 26 points and went 3-5 from long range. Boykin also swiped 12 rebounds. It is the fifth double-double of the season for the Baltimore native. 
 
The Tigers led at the halftime break 34-30 after shooting 35.29 percent from the floor and held Austin College to 29.17 percent. CC continued to build their lead into the second half and worked it up to 12 with 14:28 left in the game, their most significant of the night. 
 
Austin College slowly worked down the margin and took the lead with 2:44 left, 67-63. Boykin drilled a three down by four to make it a one-point contest, and Ty Hendler regained the lead for the Tigers with a floater inside the paint with 1:00 left. 
 
The lead changed hands two more times until Tristan Dick nailed a free throw down by one with ten seconds left to tie the game at 70. Gavin Carter missed a three with six seconds left, and the game was forced to go into overtime. 
 
CC took the lead in the first minute in OT, thanks to a pair of Boykin free throws. The Tigers maintained the advantage with a minute to play; however, the 'Roos drilled four consecutive free throws to make it the final 78-79 score. Nofziger had the last ditch jumper as time expired, but it failed to fall.
 
The Tigers outshot the 'Roos 28-23 and outrebounded them 41-24; Russell Macfarlane was second in scoring with 10 points, along with a rebound and an assist.

"Way too many mistakes on both ends of the floor down stretch to earn a conference road win," Conarroe said. "Turnovers, putting them on the free throw line and not making our free throws all cost us. Hats off to Austin, they didn't quit and played very hard, they earned a hard-fought win by making winning plays down the stretch."
 
CC will look ahead to the University of Dallas on Sunday, Jan. 14, to close out the road trip.