FERRUM, Virginia -- The Ferrum College men's basketball team came up just short in a non-conference overtime thriller against the visiting Cardinals of Catholic University inside Swartz Gymnasium Sunday afternoon, 71-69. Will Mulquin's layup fell as time expired to lead the Cardinals over Ferrum.

RECORDS
Ferrum (4-5)
Catholic (2-6)

THE BASICS
The Panthers struggled to find any offense throughout the first half in this one, as Ferrum shot just 34% from the field including 3-12 from the beyond the arc. Catholic lead by as much as 11 in the first stanza, but the Panthers cut it to just five by the halftime break.

The Cardinal scoring came at a balance in the first half, as Zach Spooner led the way with eight points. Collin Hartmann was close behind with five points to go along with two rebounds and two assists. Jack Kouba and Will Mulquin had four points apiece with Titus Lawrence, David Angelo and Frank Lumaj recorded three points apiece as well. For Ferrum, Nick Helton had a strong first half, netting seven points while also recording four rebounds. Rashad Reed recorded five points to go along with four rebounds. Marcus Plair cleaned the glass with first-half rebounds as well.

Ferrum quickly regained the lead in the first few minutes of the second half, and things were played back and forth until the end of regulation. The Panthers trailed by four with :20 remaining and were at the line for a one-and -one opportunity. After the first free throw fell, the second was missed, but a Plair offensive rebound was tapped out to James Smith Jr. and he knocked down the game-tying trey to force overtime.

Reed led the way for the Panthers in the second half, recording 14 points to lead all scorers in the half. Brandon Reeves was the other Panther in double-figures with 10 points. Marcus Plair added five more rebounds to his statline as well in the closing stanza. For Catholic, it was the Thomas Huerter show. Hueter recorded 10 points to go along with three rebounds and two assists. Lumaj had a big half off the bench as well for the Cardinals, recording six points to go along with four rebounds.

The overtime period was played back and forth as well, with neither team gaining the real advantage. Catholic outscored the Panthers 10-8 in the extra five minutes, with the difference being Mulquin's layup as time expired. Mulquin led the way for the Cardinals in the period, recording six of the ten Catholic points. Smith Jr. netted four for Ferrum, as Kajuan Madden-McAfee added three of his own.

KEY STATS
Ferrum: Reed 19 pts; Reeves 14 pts; Helton 12 pts; Plair 5 pts, 10 reb
Catholic: Mulquin 12 pts, 10 reb; Hartmann 11 pts, 6 reb; Hueter 10 pts; Lawrence 9 pts, 7 reb

UP NEXT
Coach Tyler Sanborn's team will hit the road for the Hampden-Sydney Classic Saturday and Sunday, December 29-30 to take on two non-conference opponents in Sewanee and Hood. Both games are set to tip off at 4 p.m. each day on the campus of Hampden-Sydney College.