EUGENE, Ore. – It was an unforgettable night in the Morse Event Center on Saturday night, but it may be one the Beacons will want to forget. The Multnomah University men's basketball team walked away with a 118-111 overtime victory against NCU behind an NAIA Division II record 74-point scoring performance from Senior Justin Martin.
 
An epic battle from the beginning, the teams were tied 12 times and battled through 21 lead changes as neither foe was able to take control. It wasn't until late in the second half that NCU thought they were pulling away, grabbing their biggest lead of the night at 85-73 with 4:43 to play.
 
Having already scored over 40 points, the Martin Show got going as Multnomah switched to an isolation style offense to clear the court for the NAIA's leading scorer. He proceeded to hit four straight threes along with a pair of free throws to bring the visitors to within two, 89-87 with 1:36 to play.
 
NCU's Ernest Ugoagu scored four points of his own to make it a six-point game but with 32 seconds remaining, Forrest Smith hit his only trey of the night. Ugoagu made one-of-two free-throws on the other end and on the ensuing play was called for a foul on Zach Richardson's three-point try.
 
Richardson drained all three free-throws, but Dyshawn Hobson hit both of his own on the next NCU possession and the Beacons led 96-93 with nine seconds to play. To the surprise of no one, the ball went back into Martin's hands for the final possession. His attempted was blocked clean by Logan Sand (pictured), but the ball ricocheted straight into the hands of Jaeden Ingram in the corner. Ingram promptly hit a three to tie the game and send it to overtime.
 
At this point, Martin had scored 53 points but he was far from finished. During the extra frame, he went 3-for-4 from beyond the arch and 10-for-11 at the free-throw line, scoring 21 of the Lions 22 points as they pulled out the win.
 
The 74 sets new records for NAIA Division II and the Cascade Collegiate Conference, eclipsing his own previous record of 71 which was set last season. He also broke numerous Morse Event Center records as he shot 20-for-39 from the field, 15-for-22 from three-point range and 19-for-21 at the free-throw line. He added six rebounds and did not have an assist.
 
Multnomah (9-9, 2-6 CCC) shot 45% as a team including 58% from deep.  Martin and Ingram combined for 97 of Multnomah's 118 points as Ingram shot posted a double-double with 23 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Stepan Zavydovskyy scored just two points but hauled in nine rebounds and recorded six blocked shots.
 
The Beacons (9-8, 4-3) also shot 45% from the field but were just 8-for-24 from behind the arc. NCU had just seven turnovers in the game and out-rebounded the Lions, 56-42 including 23 offensive boards.
 
NCU had five players in double-figures, led by Ugoagu's 33. Sand scored 18 and Logan Davis punched in 17 on 6-for-8 shooting. Shawn Carson scored a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
 
The Beacons will return to the court next Friday, traveling to face No. 2 Oregon Tech (14-2, 4-2) in Klamath Falls at 7:30 pm. Multnomah heads home the same night, taking on Evergreen as they look for their third straight conference win.