Nashua, N.H. - After trailing by eight at the end of the first half and by as many as 10 in the second, fifth-seeded and defending New England Collegiate Conference tournament champion Regis rallied to force overtime in the closing minute of regulation and outscored fourth-seeded Daniel Webster 12-6 in overtime in posting an 80-74 victory in the first round of the 2016 conference championship tournament Tuesday night at Mario Vagge Gymnasium.
Jordan Monts (Springfield, Mass.) posted six of his 13 points in the extra session as the Pride (12-14) advanced to a postseason rematch with top-seed and NECC final four host Southern Vermont (22-3) on Friday at 6:00 p.m. in Bennington, Vt.
The Pride, who are now winners of five of their last six and eight of their last 10, stunned the top-seeded Mountaineers in last season's final on SVC's home court.
Ademola Afonja (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Jeff Tagger, Jr. (Brockton, Mass.) posted 19 points apiece for the winners, with Afonja pulling in a team-high 10 boards and Tagger handing out six assists. Sam Jean-Gilles (Melrose, Mass.) added 13 points.
Rondell Best (Brockton, Mass.) led Daniel Webster (11-15) with a game-high 30 points including 10 field goals and added a game-high 12 caroms. Tevon Smallpiece (Dorchester, Mass.) was the only other Eagle to reach double figures, scoring 16 points. Jared Harrington (Upper Marlboro, Md.) posted nine points and Ray Farmer (Nashua) chipped in with eight points, nine assists and five boards.
Regis took two of three from the Eagles this season with both wins coming in overtime.
DWC hurt itself committing 21 turnovers leading to 26 Pride points. The teams were generally even otherwise with DWC finishing with a slight advantage on the glass (36-34). Regis edged the Eagles scoring in the paint (36-34) and both teams contributed just eight points off the bench, respectively.
DWC was steady in the field in regulation, shooting 52-percent in the first and 54-percent in the second but Regis followed a 32-percent first half to hit on 57-percent in the second, matching the same in the extra period while DWC shot just 2 for 6 in the third period.
Regis never trailed in overtime, building a four point lead behind a pair of Monts jumpers before DWC would later tie it at 74 following a Best three-point play with 1:51 to go.
But DWC couldn't convert on its next four possessions with three missed outside shots and a turnover. Regis grabbed the lead for good on a Jean-Gilles jumper with 1:33 left, and the Pride iced it down the stretch going 4 for 4 at the line.
The Eagles had led 43-33 at the 16:30 mark of the second before Regis chipped away using as 12-3 run keyed by a pair of alley-oop dunks by Afonja from Tagger and a Tagger jumper to trim the deficit to one (46-45) with 12:57 left. The Pride took their first lead since the opening basket on a Tagger trey with 7:20 remaining.
Tied at 63, DWC forged back in front behind Best sinking a pair at the line and later burying a layup with 1:30 to go for a 67-63 lead.
But Hector Heredia (Lawrence, Mass.) followed from downtown with 31 seconds to go and after Best sank one at the line with 23 ticks on the clock, Tagger tied it with 15 seconds remaining to force the third period.
Release Courtesy of Daniel Webster College Sports Information