Williams' Free Throws Lift Men's Basketball To Triumph Over Mount, 58-57

(boxscore)

1/24/05 -- Sophomore guard James Williams (DeSoto, Texas) drained two free throws with 11.6 seconds remaining to lift Long Island University to a 58-57 victory over Mount St. Mary’s in Northeast Conference men’s basketball action on Monday evening. Williams finished with 17 points, going 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. The Mountaineers had four field goal attempts in the final seven seconds but were unable to convert.

Off the bench, senior Derek Bell (Brooklyn, N.Y.) added 12 points. Junior Aubin Scott (Hempstead, N.Y.) registered 10 rebounds to go along with five points for the Blackbirds (7-10, 4-4 NEC).

For the Mountaineers (5-12, 3-5 NEC), Charles Cook registered 13 points and junior Landy Thompson added 10.

Cook scored eight of Mount’s first 25 points, including a 3-pointer at the 10:03 mark for a 25-12 start. The Blackbirds erupted on a 16-4 run to pull to 29-28 with 4:11 remaining in the half. Williams netted seven during the spurt. Mount pulled ahead to post a 35-32 lead at intermission.

The Blackbirds pushed ahead to their largest advantage, 42-36, with 17:01 on the clock on a Scott free throw. Less than six minutes later, Thompson drained a triple from the top of the key to give the Mountaineers a46-44 advantage with 11:28 showing.

LIU answered behind the inside play of Bell. The senior forward scored 10 straight points in 6 ½ minutes for a 54-51 lead with 4:36 remaining.

The Mount took its final lead, 57-56, on two free throws from Gus Durr with 29.5 seconds remaining. Williams, fouled driving the lane on the ensuing play, calmly drained two from the stripe with 11.6 seconds for a 58-57 lead.

On the inbounds, Thompson drove the length of the court and went up on the right side. His attempt rolled off the cylinder. Three subsequent tip-ins from Jason Epps, Durr and Thompson, over the final five seconds were no good.