By Jacob Norling
February 8, 2024
 
(OAKLAND, Calif.) In a year where just-about every break has gone the opposition's way, Westmont Men's Basketball (8-13, 4-9 PacWest) came away with their win of the year on Thursday night in the bay area. Against the Academy of Art Urban Knights (14-7, 10-4), the first-place team in the PacWest, a resilient showing for the Warriors allowed Westmont to walk away with an 82-80 win in double-overtime.
 
"Where do I start?" began Westmont head coach Landon Boucher. "There were so many big plays in this one. After so many tough losses, this one feels good to get. We've played in seven overtimes in the last two weeks.
 
"With the previous two not going our way, these guys finding a way to get this one says a lot about the fact that these guys aren't giving in."
 
 At the 5:30 mark in the first half, an ART U three had the home team looking confident as they already led by double-digits at Westmont 28-17. 
 
The situation could have gotten out of hand for Westmont, but instead, a furious run to end the first half pulled Westmont immediately back within two. Six points over a three minute span from Anthony McIntyre highlighted a 14-5 run that forced an ART U timeout with 30 second remaining in the half. Out of the timeout, the Urban Knights did bury a three at the buzzer, sending Westmont into the locker room facing a five-point deficit at 36-31.
 
Westmont forced another timeout from ART U minutes into the second, when a layup by Adrian McIntyre pulled Westmont within one at the 17:37 mark. By the time of the next media timeout (15:46), the Warriors were skipping their way into the huddle, with an energetic group leading 41-40 after a go-ahead basket by Anthony McIntyre.
 
By the time of the next stoppage, another layup by the older McIntyre had given Westmont a 47-44 advantage, matching their biggest lead of the game (10:50). Four minutes later the two sides had traded the lead a couple times, with Westmont entering a timeout up one at 51-50 (6:50).
 
However, over the next handful of minutes a 5-0 run for ART U sparked a big momentum swing, allowing the home team to carry a 57-53 lead into the final media timeout (3:37). Right at the three-minute mark Adrian McIntyre continued his stellar evening with a basket to make it a one-possession game, but on the next possession, ART U converted a pair at the line to maintain distance.
 
When the game entered its final minute of regulation, however, the Warriors were once again within two. Then, right on cue, Adrian McIntyre was able to evade a defender at the rim, allowing the leading scorer to tie the game at 59. Thirty seconds later, ART U called timeout with 26.5 on the clock, and a chance to draw up a potential game-winning play. Mason Romano swatted away ART U's first attempt with 3.7 on the clock, and on the ensuing inbound, ART U could not hang onto the ball long enough to even get a shot off. With that, Westmont was headed into overtime for the third PacWest game in a row.
 
On the first possession of overtime, once again it was the younger McIntyre that buried a shot, this time from the mid-range. ART U converted another pair of free throws on the other end, only for Adrian McIntyre's performance to continue with a long-range three, putting Westmont up 64-61 (3:50).
 
A minute later, Romano converted an end-of-the-shot-clock long-range two, continuing to put pressure on ART U as Westmont led 66-63. With 2:35 remaining, however, Adrian McIntyre fouled out, sending his 21 points and contagious hot-hand to the bench. Then, a resilient showing saw Davis convert both ends of an and-one, putting Westmont up a game-high five points at 69-64.
 
With 16 seconds on the clock, a technical foul and a turnover from Westmont gave ART U one more look at the contest, with ART U drawing up a play out of a huddle down 71-69. The Warriors would continue to be tested, as they have been all season long, when the Urban Knights converted a game-tying basket, sending the game into a second overtime.
 
In double-OT, neither team scored for the first three minutes, with stop-after-stop building the tension. Then, with 1:47 on the clock, Boucher called a timeout to try and draw up a path to the bottom of the rim. Westmont did not get the shot they drew up, instead, they settled for an end-of-the-shot-clock heave from well beyond the three-point line.
 
However, in a season where it seems every bounce has gone against the Warriors, the three-ball out of the hands of Drew Ramirez ricocheted off the bank and in, putting Westmont up 74-71 with just-over a minute remaining. For good measure, Ramirez knocked down another back-breaking three, this time with just-over 30 seconds remaining.
 
ART U did pull within one with 1.9 on the clock, but on the other end, Aaron Wadman converted one of two to put Westmont back up a pair. The Urban Knights did get a shot up in transition at the buzzer, but this time, finally, the ball fell in favor of Westmont.
 
The Warriors lost in quadruple overtime in Fresno, they couldn't get past Hawaii Pacific in OT at home, but on Thursday night in the bay, against the top-team in the PacWest, Westmont finally walked off the floor with an 82-80 win in double-overtime.
 
"To have guys like Drew and Aaron come off the bench and play the way they did," noted Boucher, "it shows how together our team still is. I'm super proud of the collective effort tonight. Every single person contributed in their own little ways at the perfect time.
 
"Those two shots that Drew hit were unbelievable, and it saved us. We had guys that fouled out, but they stayed engaged on the bench the whole way through, and our guys who came off the bench got out there and got the job done."
 
Boucher continued, "One of the biggest things that could go unnoticed is our rebounding tonight. To out-rebound that team (49-44) is something. They are one of, if not the most athletic team in the conference. That's a huge team feat.
 
"Over defensive effort in the second half was huge. We only allowed 23 second-half points against a team that leads the conference in scoring. That's a huge team accomplishment."
 
Individually, Adrian McIntyre led all scorers with 21, while Anthony finished right behind him with 19. Anthony also led Westmont with 11 rebounds to complete the double-double, while Davis led Westmont with six assists and four steals.
 
"Tonight was exciting, and a little bit of a relief," acknowledged Boucher. "After being in so many tight matchups and coming up short, to get this one, our guys are just really excited for each other. Our guys rallied tonight and found a way to get a road win against the number-one team in the PacWest."
 
Westmont's road trip continues on Saturday in the bay area, when they take on Dominican at 3:30 p.m. Links to tickets and live coverage are available on the Westmont Athletics website.