Lynn, MA – Tyrone Figueroa (Revere, MA) drained a three pointer from the right wing to send the game to overtime as the visiting Rams of Framingham State capped off a hard fought comeback to earn a 91-87 victory of the Fisher College Falcons.
The Fisher Falcons were clinging to a six point lead with just 30 seconds left in the second half but couldn't close out what would have been their fifth victory of the season. Framingham's Andre Santana (Worcester, MA) knocked down two laps in the last half minute to help send the game to overtime in what many thought was a certain Fisher victory.
Framingham State scored the first four points of the game but Fisher would turn up the defensive pressure and grow a lead as much as 16 points on their way to a 42-35 halftime lead. The Falcons advantage was paced by 14 first half points from Tyler Radicoini (Westerly, RI). Fisher held a 25-19 first half advantage in bench points due in part to Radicoini's efforts.
The Rams started the second half with full court pressure and quickly cut the deficit to six points. The visitors got a huge effort out of Andre Santana as the sophomore finished the night with 33 points and 14 rebounds.
The second half intensity picked up as the game got closer. Throughout the second half Framingham continuously cut the lead to three points but couldn't close the margin any further until the dying moments.
Framingham's first half shooting troubles were all for naught as they would outscore the Fisher Falcons 56-45 in the second half and overtime combined. Framingham also received solid contributions from Adeyemi Ajao and Timithy Sheridan who had 18 points and 10 points, respectively. Ajao also added 8 rebounds.
Radicioni would end the game with 17 points for the Falcons. Chris Green (Middle Island, NY) and Kyle Murphy (Orlando, FL) also scored 17 points for Fisher. Junior Mike Thweatt (Charlestown, RI) has a solid effort off the bench for the Falcons with 12 points and 7 rebounds.
The Falcons will look to rebound from a recent four game slide when they return to action Thursday night when they travel to Orono, Maine to take on the University of Maine –Blackbears. It is the first of three NCAA Division 1 opponents the Falcons will face this season. The Maine Blackbears currently sit a 2-5 after an 87-73 loss at Duquesne on December 1st. Thursday's game is schedule for a 7:00PM tip-off at the newly renovated Memorial Gymnasium on Maine's Orono Campus.