Amherst Tops Men's Basketball in OT, 101-96

WESTFIELD, Mass.  -  Amherst College's Chris Hammond hit a three pointer with 21 seconds left to force overtime, as the Mammoths edged Westfield State, 101-96 in a non-conference game at the LeFrak Gymnasium in Amherst, Mass. on Saturday afternoon. 

Westfield had grabbed the lead in the game at 6-4 on a Lid Moreland three pointer three minutes into the game, and the Owls held a lead until Hammond's triple tied the game in the closing seconds.

The Owls ran out to 51-31 lead at the half, shooting a blistering 68 percent (11-15) from behind the three point arc.

The fortunes reversed for both squads in the second half, as the Owls shot 40 percent from the floor and just 2-7 (28.6 pct.) from the three-point line.

Amherst picked up the pace connecting on 8 of 11 threes (72.7 pct) and were 19-28 (67.9 pct) overall in the second half.

Vance Ryker scored Amherst's first five points of the OT to stake the Mammoths to a 89-86 lead after a traditional three-point play. After Westfield's Juju Omot went 1-2 at the foul line C.J. Mitchell drained a three-pointer for the Mammoths to give Amherst a 92-87 lead with 2:35 left in the OT, and they hung on down the stretch for the win.

Westfield had five players finish in double figures in scoring, led by a season-best 28 from Moreland, who was 10-16 from the floor and 5 of 7 behind the arc.  Jerome Stephens added 17, Omot and Doug Alves each netted 16 and Brendon Hamilton chipped in with 12 points.

Charlie Randall led Amherst with 18 points and 10 rebounds.  Vance added 17, and Hammond and Mitchell each scored 15.

Westfield slips to 5-4 on the season, while Amherst improved to 7-3.

Westfield will next play at SUNY-Cobleskill on Thursday.