Feb. 28, 2009

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EASTON, Pa. - Michael Gruner waited anxiously in the corner as Ryan Willen kicked out the rebound to Andrew Brown at the top of the key. With 27 seconds on the clock and the Leopards down 60-57 to American, Brown swung it to Gruner, who fired away without a moment's hesitation.

The ball sailed through the net, sending the game into overtime and bringing Kirby Sports Center to its feet. In the end, the momentum wasn't enough to dethrone Patriot League regular season champion American and the Leopards fell in a 75-68 decision on Saturday.

Garrison Carr took control in overtime as he drained three threes en route to a game-high 23-point performance despite a 6-of-20 outing from the field to lift the Eagles to victory. Jeff Kari led the Leopards with 19 points while Gruner notched career highs in points (17) and rebounds (10) for the first double-double of his career. Brown converted a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line as part of a 14-point performance in his final game at Kirby Sports Center.

Lafayette (8-21, 4-10) locked up the No. 8 seed in the Patriot League Tournament and will face the Eagles (21-7, 13-1) on Wednesday in Washington, D.C., in the quarterfinals at 7:30 p.m.

After Kari swished a three from the top of the key to knot the score at five, Jared Mintz got his hand on an American pass, and Gruner snagged the steal. On Lafayette's next possession, Kari dumped it to Brown on an inbounds play for a layup, 7-5.

The Eagles regained the lead, 16-12, with back-to-back treys by Brian Gilmore and Carr, but Gruner fired back with a three of his own. The Leopards kept it close as Brown chipped in two free throws at 6:14 remaining to trail by one, 20-19.

American ate up the next five minutes, scoring seven unanswered points before freshman Jim Mower ignited the Leopards with a three-pointer and a layup to close the deficit to 27-24 with 1:07 remaining. The Eagles had the last word of the half when Nichols dumped in a layup, sending them into the locker room ahead 29-24.

After the break, Gruner blocked Derrick Mercer and the Leopards capitalized on their next possession when Kari converted a three-point play. He drained a three two minutes later as Lafayette continued to threaten American's lead, 33-30.

Thanks to a three-point play by Mercer and a Gilmore trey, the Eagles put together an 11-4 run to take a 44-34 advantage with 14:51 remaining.

Kari was Lafayette's answer again, sinking a three that fired things up. Gruner tipped in a Kari miss and Brown drained a long two to inch within four points, 45-41, with 12 minutes on the clock.

But Lafayette sent the Eagles to the free throw line over the next six minutes and American pushed its lead back out to 54-43.

Lafayette remained undaunted. Kari and Alex Orchowski went to the charity stripe and converted all four attempts. The Leopards put pressure on the Eagles, who committed three straight turnovers.

Lafayette found Mintz underneath and when his hook shot sailed in the hoop with 5:34, he brought Lafayette back to a 54-51 deficit.

After an American timeout, Carr drained a three pointer and Kari, who had picked up four fouls, allowed Hendra to score an uncontested layup as American built up a 60-54 lead with 2:11 remaining in the game.

At 1:48 remaining in the game, Gruner connected from behind the arc to notch his first-double-double of his career and bring the game to a single possession, 60-57. Carr traveled on American's next play, and Gruner hit the game-tying three with 27 seconds remaining.

American watched the clock wind down and Brown thought he nearly collected a five-second call on Carr, but the Eagles' bench squeezed in a timeout with 13 seconds left. Mercer missed a layup and Mintz grabbed the rebound with one arm as the buzzer sounded to send Lafayette into its first overtime game of the season.

Though the Leopards would come within one point of the lead with a pair of Gruner free throws early in the extra period, Lafayette was never able to secure a lead.

Game Notes:
Andrew Brown received a standing ovation from the 2,463 in attendance during his senior day introduction. Lafayette's career three-point leader was accompanied by his parents, Boyd and Lois Brown, on the floor.