Junior Robinson’s layup in OT sends Mount St. Mary’s past St. Francis U

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LORETTO, Pa. — Junior Robinson’s layup with 15 seconds left in overtime sent Mount St. Mary’s past St. Francis (Pa.) on Saturday at DeGol Arena, 81-80.

Robinson, the senior guard, finished with 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting to go along with 10 assists and three rebounds. In a rematch of last year’s Northeast Conference title game, the Mount (10-9, 4-2 NEC) overcame an 11-point second-half deficit in the remaining 13 minutes to force overtime and secure its fourth straight league victory.

Saint Francis U MBB on Twitter

Want to know what makes this group successful? Even during difficult times the class, maturity and leadership of @KingJamaal and @Braxton2K shine through as seen in tonight’s postgame presser #selfless #beateammate https://t.co/8mEUG0BoTW

Former Wicomico High School standout Jamal King (31 points and four assists) gave the Red Flash (10-7, 4-2) a 53-42 lead at the 13:06 mark with a layup that capped a 14-4 run, but 19 seconds later, redshirt freshman guard Jonah Antonio (15 points and five rebounds) canned his third of five 3-pointers to trigger a 10-2 run, which pulled the Mountaineers within three, 55-52, with 10:55 to go.

Freshman guard Donald Carey (11 points, eight assists) hit two key 3s that brought the Mount to 61-59 with 7:34 to go and then tying at 65-65 with 4:44 remaining. 

King made two free throws to put St. Francis up 75-73 with 13 seconds left in regulation, but senior guard Greg Alexander made a pair of free throws of his own seven seconds later that forced overtime. 

Mount St. Mary’s shot 53.3 percent from the field (32-for-60) and 37.9 percent from deep (11-for-29). St. Francis (Pa.), meanwhile, shot 44.3 percent (27-for-61) and 29 percent from behind the arc (9-for-31). The Red Flash had 19 points in transition and 16 second-chance points, but the Mount created 17 points off 15 St. Francis (Pa.) turnovers.

Senior forward Chris Wray scored a career-high 22 points on 10-for-12 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds for the Mountaineers, who move into a three-way tie for second in the conference with St. Francis (Pa.) and Wagner. Robert Morris sits atop at 5-1, which hosts the Mount on Wednesday, February 1.

Mount St. Mary’s will now travel to St. Francis-Brooklyn this Thursday, January 18 with a 7 p.m. tip-off.