Rosario's Three-Point Shooting Sends Men's Basketball to OT Loss at Central Conn. State

New Britain, Conn. - Vince Rosario had 17 points and made a key three-point field goal in overtime in leading Central Connecticut State to 70-68 victory over UAlbany on Saturday, Dec. 12 at Detrick Gymnasium.

Central Connecticut State (3-5) led 64-63 in the extra period, when Rosario nailed one of his five 3-pointers from the left wing. Shemik Thompson, who had 16 points, sank a pair of foul shots for a six-point margin and the home-opening win looked secure. But UAlbany's Tim Ambrose made a three-point play when he was fouled on a driving shot and a steal led to Scotty McRae's slam dunk. After CCSU's Joe Seymour made the second of two free throws with 4.6 seconds left, Ambrose misfired on a driving 14-footer as the horn sounded.

UAlbany (4-7) appeared to be in control with one minute to play in regulation. Ambrose, who had 16 points, knifed his way into the lane and then set up Will Harris for a layup on the left baseline that gave his club a 60-56 advantage. But in the previous two matchups the unexpected always happens in this series. Leading 60-58, Derrek Tartt found himself alone following a steal, but the freshman missed a two-handed dunk with 10.8 seconds remaining. Thompson made two free throws to draw his team even and Harris was not close on a three-point attempt as buzzer sounded to end regulation.

"They went small and pressured us defensively," UAlbany coach Will Brown said. "The breakaway dunk was not the deciding moment in the game; it was all the stuff that led to that point. We gave them new life in the overtime. We had plenty of opportunities and a pretty good look at the end."

The Great Danes built a 50-44 lead with 8:18 remaining on Mike Johnson's three-point play. The senior guard finished with 12 points before fouling out in overtime. Central Connecticut rallied to tie the contest at 56 apiece when Rosario drained a long-range jumper from the top of the arc.

"We are down right now, but we fought to the end," said UAlbany center Brett Gifford, who matched a career-high with 10 points and added eight rebounds and two blocks. "We told Derrek (Tartt) to keep his head in the game. Things happen during the course of any game."

In the first half, nothing was settled as the Great Danes took a 32-31 advantage to the intermission. Central Connecticut took a 15-7 lead in the early going when Rosario buried a three-point field from the top of the key. UAlbany regrouped with 10 unanswered. Gifford scored off a high-low exchange from Fran Urli to put his team ahead. The Blue Devils, who later trailed by as much as six, regained the lead, 29-28, on Thompson's offensive rebound. Tartt made a pair of free throws to put UAlbany back in front.

CCSU's Robby Ptacek had 12 points off the bench, while David Simmons added 11 points and 16 rebounds. Urli, a 6-foot-8 junior, scored a career-high 10 for the Great Danes, who edged the Blue Devils by one last year and won in overtime the previous season.

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information