Oglethorpe tops Panthers in overtime
Dec. 8, 2007

ATLANTA – Oglethorpe University took a 95-90 overtime win over LaGrange College on Saturday at Dorough Field House. The loss dropped the Panthers to 2-7 on the season, while the Stormy Petrels improved to 4-2.

It was Oglethorpe's second win of the season over the Panthers. The Stormy Petrels won the first meeting 102-66 at the Maryville College Thanksgiving Tournament on Nov. 24.

Joe Cromwell had a game-high 24 points to lead LaGrange. He hit 10-of-15 shots, including 2-of-3 3-pointers. Cromwell also had seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Demetris Render added 23 points and Caleb Smallwood had 20.

Ahmad Kareem Shaheed led Oglethorpe with a double-double of 18 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Craig Jackson and Alex Richey had 16 points each for the Stormy Petrels. Oglethorpe placed five players in double-figures.

LaGrange took a 14-point lead in the first half. Cromwell hit a 3-pointer to start a 21-5 run by the Panthers. Smallwood hit a pair of free throws to finish the run and give the Panthers a 29-15 lead with 7:23 left in the half.

Oglethorpe chipped away at the Panthers' lead the rest of the half. Smallwood scored off an assist from Roger McDowell to put the Panthers up 37-34 with 25 seconds left. Jackson tied the game at 37 at the buzzer with a 3-pointer.

Bradley Floyd's 3-pointer at the outset of the second half gave LaGrange a 42-41 lead. They led by as many as eight points on two occasions in half. Render's layup put the Panthers up 79-71 with five minutes left.

Oglethorpe tied the game at 85 with 1:52 left. Joe Kennedy had a steal and a layup at the other end to tie the game. Neither team scored the remainder of the game to force overtime.

Cromwell's jumper gave the Panthers an 87-85 lead to start the overtime period. David Allison scored off a turnover to put the Stormy Petrels ahead to stay, 89-87. Allison iced the game with a pair of free throws for the 95-90 final.

The Panthers play at Rust on Saturday and at Rhodes on Monday, Dec. 17. The Panthers host Hampden-Sydney on New Year's Day.