UCCS stuns Fort Lewis in double overtime

COLORADO SPRINGS-P.J. Forrest hit a leaning buzzer-beater to put Saturday's game into overtime and Bly McGuire duplicated the feat to send it into double overtime, but in the end it was two free throws by Todd Crist that lifted the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs to an 82-81 victory over the Fort Lewis Skyhawks at the Lions' Den.

Dan Deveau missed a 3-pointer with nine seconds left in the second overtime but Crist, who finished with a career-high 11 points, went high to grab the rebound while twisting to his left. Fort Lewis' Ryan Mortensen tried to pry the ball away in mid-air and collided with Crist, sending the UCCS reserve center to the line.

Fort Lewis' Ryan Johnson, who led the Skyhawks with 25 points, launched an off-balance runner from 18 feet at the buzzer, but missed.

Patrick Hannaway led UCCS (5-20, 4-13 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) with 27 points. McGuire added 18 points and Forrest had 10 points and six assists.

The Skyhawks led by four with 38 seconds remaining in overtime. Forrest nailed a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left to cut the lead to 59-58, but the Mountain Lions had only four team fouls. It took six seconds to register the first. They got the second on the inbounds pass and the third with eight seconds left. While Guy Meyer made both free throws, it was interim coach Doug Schakel's mentorship that kept UCCS' head in the game in a seemingly hopeless spot.

The Mountain Lions were rewarded when Forrest nailed his buzzer-beater.

UCCS again trailed by five with 1:25 left in the first overtime and Hannaway fouled out. Forrest took the inbounds pass and beat the Skyhawks ever-present press off the dribble. He saw an opening after crossing mid-court and took it all the way. His layup rimmed out, but Forrest was waiting on the other side of the hoop for the tip-in.

Fort Lewis ran as much clock as it could, with Ryan Jameson missing a 3-pointer with 38 seconds remaining. Forrest corralled the long rebound and each coach had a strategy session utilizing their timeouts. Schakel likely didn't draw up McGuire's 3-pointer in the huddle, especially considering the 6-foot-9 center came into Saturday 0-for-5 from that range, but the junior from Elbert, Colo. nonetheless drained the tying shot.

Neither team was able to build more than a two-point lead in the second overtime before Crist's free throws settled the matter.

Tim Bieri scored 23 points for Fort Lewis (16-8, 12-5 RMAC), while Devon Manning added 14.