Second Overtime Game in a Week Ends Differently in 78-68 Defeat

Saturday, December 4

Fort Myers, Fla. / Alico Arena

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

3-3

Florida Gulf Coast

7-3

OT 1

Dartmouth

FGCU

Brendan Barry had 26 points with six 3-pointers.

Second Overtime Game in a Week Ends Differently in 78-68 Defeat

12/4/2021 9:24:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Brendan Barry tied the game with 9.0 seconds in regulation on a clutch 3-pointer

By: Rick Bender

FORT MYERS, Fla. — For the second time in seven days, graduate Brendan Barry hit a 3-pointer in the final seconds to send a game into overtime. Unlike the last one, Dartmouth could not carry that momentum into the extra period as host FGCU (7-3) closed out a 78-68 victory over the Big Green (3-3) at Alico Arena on Saturday night. Barry finished the game with a season-high 26 points while senior Aaryn Rai added 18 for Dartmouth.

The Big Green led for a good portion of the game, but a lead that was as large as seven points in the second half turned into an eight-point deficit with the clock winding its way down to under four minutes remaining. Freshman Ryan Cornish and Barry splashed back-to-back 3-pointers, however, to quickly close the gap to two, but the next Dartmouth points didn't come until 35.1 seconds were left as Rai drove for a layup, making it a 59-55 game.

After Tavian Dunn-Martin converted two free throws for FGCU, the Big Green had the ball trailing by six. Senior Taurus Samuels attempted a 3-pointer but was fouled in the process and calmly sank all three free throws to cut the deficit in half. And when the Dartmouth defense forced a five-count on the ensuing inbounds play, it had the opportunity it needed. Barry made his move and ripped the net from distance, knotting the game at 61 with 9.0 seconds showing, and the Big Green kept the Eagles from scoring to send the game into overtime.

Dartmouth briefly held the lead following another Cornish triple, 64-63, but again the shots dried up as FGCU went on a 9-0 run. A pair of layups in the final 40 seconds were not enough to overcome this deficit as the Eagles knocked down all six fouls shots during that span as well to close out their victory.

"To be on the road and come back from a deficit like that while holding a team to 36 percent shooting or so in regulation in their gym, we had to do a lot of good things," said head coach David McLaughlin. "Toughness is one of the things that defines this team right now. I think the one thing that we didn't lose, but we have to make sure we continue to grasp, is playing to our strengths throughout the game, especially when you're on the road."

The first half was the Barry and Rai show until the final few minutes as the duo combined to score 29 of the Big Green's 36 points, including the first 17. Barry hit 5-of-8 field goals with a trio of treys, plus added a pair of free throws to tally 15 points, while Rai was 6-of-7 from the floor with a 3-pointer and a free throw to collect 14 in the stanza.

The Dartmouth defense, meanwhile, was giving FGCU fits, though 6-11 center Kevin Samuel managed to score 12 points, including the first six for the Eagles. But his teammates hit just 6-of-21 shots with Matt Halvorsen producing the only two triples, which left Dartmouth enjoying a 36-30 lead at the intermission.

Early baskets in the second half from Samuels and sophomore Izaiah Robinson helped Dartmouth take a 40-33 advantage, but FGCU went on an 11-2 run to take its first lead since it was 16-14 as Cyrus Largie capped the run with two foul shots. Barry responded with his first long ball of the half to briefly put the Green back on top, 45-44, but the Eagles rattled off the next eight points, punctuated a Dunn-Martin trifecta.

Barry then hit a shot from the perimeter that was ruled a 2-point shot, and Zach Anderson responded for FGCU with a 3-pointer to boost the Eagles' lead to 55-47, which is where it stood when Cornish and Barry rained down their late triples to start the comeback.

Dartmouth shot just 27.3 percent in both the second half (9-of-33) and overtime (3-of-11), which left the team at 34.7 percent for the game (25-of-72) while hitting 30.3 percent (10-of-33) behind the arc. Barry ended the night 9-of-20 overall and 6-of-13 from downtown to account for his 26 points while Rai was 8-of-17 from the floor with a team-high seven rebounds. Samuels chipped in 12 points while stealing the ball four times.

Samuel led four Eagles in double figures with 19 points while grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds for a double-double, and Largie added 17 on 5-of-7 from the floor and 7-of-9 at the charity stripe. Halvorsen and Dunn-Martin chipped in 13 and 11 points, respectively, while Caleb Catto hauled in 11 rebounds as FGCU held a 48-38 edge on the glass.

Dartmouth returns to Hanover to start a two-game homestand, starting with Quinnipiac on Dec. 8 at 7 p.m.

Notes: This past Sunday, Dartmouth defeated Bryant on the road in overtime, 63-61, after Barry hit a 3-pointer with 2.5 seconds left in regulation to tie the game … including his season playing at Temple last year, Barry has scored 998 points in his collegiate career … Dartmouth is 3-5 in overtime games under McLaughlin.