UVa-Wise Prevails in Double Overtime Thriller over Tennessee Wesleyan

February 23, 2006
Boxscore

Bristol, TN – In what could only be called the best game of the 2005-06 Appalachian Athletic Conference season, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise prevailed in a double overtime thriller over Tennessee Wesleyan. The Highland Cavaliers outlasted the Bulldogs in a classic 91-87 contest to advance to the AAC semifinals.

Trailing 82-81 with two minutes left in the second overtime, senior Parker Gemmell took over the game for the Cavs (15-17). Gemmell sliced into the lane and made a soft jumper for the 83-82 lead. He would make four trips to the foul line as Tennessee Wesleyan (20-11) missed three shots and turn the ball over on the other possession. The shooting guard downed six of the eight attempts to make it 89-84 with 17.2 seconds.

The Bulldogs made one of two treys on the following trips while Jarred Soles and Joey Blackwell swished one of two free throws apiece for the 91-87 double overtime upset for the seventh-seeded Cavs.

Uva-Wise will now advance to the semifinal round to face third-seeded Union College, who defeated Brevard College, 62-45, in the first game of the day. Montreat College will take on Covenant College in the other semifinal match.

Gemmell led all scorers with 26 points on eight of 16 attempts and nine of 12 foul shots. Zydrunas Rackauskas posted another double-double with 18 points, six of 12 tries, and 15 caroms. Soles added 15 tallies while both Blackwell and Seth Gibson hit for 12 points apiece.

The game was worth the admission as neither squad ever enjoyed a lead of more than five points until the final seconds of the second extra period.

Ray Bailey grabbed an offensive rebound and tipped the ball into the bucket for a 34-33 Cavs halftime lead. The squads slugged it out in the second half. Center Joe Ferguson hit the first of two free throws to tie it at 67-67 with 33.7 seconds and the Cavs could not score to force the first overtime.

After Gemmell hit the first jumper of the extra period, Ferguson pushed Tennessee Wesleyan ahead 74-69 with 1:44 on the clock. The Bulldog led stood at 76-72 with 30.3 seconds. Gibson made two fouls shots to cut the margin to two 10 seconds later. The Bulldogs missed the front end of the one-on-one before Soles knifed into the lane for the tying bucket with four seconds to make it 76-76 and force a second overtime.