EUGENE, Ore. – The Northwest Christian University men's basketball team earned their first Cascade Collegiate Conference victory of the 2017-18 season in dramatic fashion on Saturday night, knocking off the Northwest University Eagles 102-98 in overtime.
 
NCU (5-7, 1-4 CCC) held a huge +18 turnover advantage, turning the ball over just seven times and capitalizing with 33 points on the extra possessions. The Beacons had three players (Michael Loomis, Davonte Cleveland, and Reece Robinson) combine to score 71 points and the home-time held a 52-19 advantage in bench scoring.
 
Northwest went on a ten-point run to start the game, holding the Beacons scoreless for the first three minutes of action. NCU slowly whittled-away at the visitors' lead, however, coming back to tie the score at 29 at the 5:51 mark on a made free-throw by Cleveland. The score would change hands five times in the final four minutes of action, with the Eagles scoring seven unanswered to go into the break up by five, 44-39.
 
The Eagles looked poised to leave Eugene with the victory, leading for the first 17 minutes of second half before NCU rattled-off seven straight to take back an 80-79 lead with 2:12 remaining, as Reece Robinson drained a deep three.
 
Northwest answered with five consecutive points of their own, taking a timeout up four with just over 60 seconds of time on the clock. Spencer Mattox netted a fast-break layup and was fouled, sinking a free-throw to bring his team within one.
 
Cleveland picked-off the ensuing Northwest inbound and dished to Tyrus Hosley who drained a contested three-pointer with just 0:17 left to give the lead back to NCU, 86-84. The Eagles took another timeout, drawing up a pick-and-shoot to Tanner Davis, who drained a jumper from 20-feet to send the game to overtime.
 
Northwest Christian came out strong in the extra period, with Cleveland scoring a layup ten-seconds in. NCU never trailed again, leading by as many as seven points as five different players found the bottom of the net during the period.
 
NCU had three players break the 20-point plateau, led by Loomis with 25 points. Cleveland and Robinson (pictured) added 23 each while Cleveland posting team-highs of six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Hosley drained three triples, scoring 13 in the process while Mattox contributed nine points and four assists off the bench.
 
The Eagles (8-8, 2-4) had five players land in double-figures, with Tre Benton scoring a game-high 29 on 6-for-8 three-point shooting. Justice Martion scored 18, Tanner Davis had 13 points and eight boards, while Kaelan Hicks notched a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Ryan Ricks was the final ten-point scorer, ending with ten points on four-of-five shooting.
 
Both teams are back in action on January 5 for conference play. The Beacons are on the road at Multnomah, while the Eagles return to their home court to host No. 12-ranked College of Idaho. Both games are scheduled for  a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.