CARLINVILLE, Ill. - The Rockford University men's basketball team improved to 4-0 on Wednesday afternoon with a 113-108 triple overtime victory on the road against the Blackburn College Beavers. The game was close throughout as the largest lead for each team was a mere seven points.
Rockford led the majority of the first half thanks to its quick start. The Regents jumped out to a fast 7-2 lead less than two minutes into the game and would eventually extend that lead to a game-high 7 points at 17-10 with 11:20 left in the first half. At that point the Beavers began to get hot from the field going on a 19-6 run over the next six minutes to take their first lead of the half. However the back and forth affair swung back into Rockford's favor as the Regents finished the half on a 15-4 run that was capped off by a last second layup from Ronald Farmer-Blanchard (Chicago, Ill./Thornton) giving Rockford a 38-33 halftime lead.
The second half had a very similar flow to it as the first with neither team able to put the other away. Rockford senior Scott Suchy (Genoa, Ill./Genoa-Kingston) knocked down back-to-back three-point jumpers to again give his team a seven point advantage. However just like in the first half, the Beavers answered right back going on a 20-6 run to take their largest lead of the day at 61-54 with just over ten minutes remaining in regulation. Following a pair of Regent free throws, senior guard Arthur Miller IV (Burlington, Wis./Burlington) scored seven straight points for Rockford capped off by a three-point basket to tie the game once again this time at 63-63. The Regents would then push its lead back to seven at 73-66 with four minutes remaining. However, Rockford went cold from the field making just four free throws the remainder of the second half allowing Blackburn to tie the game on last second three-pointer to force overtime.
The first overtime period was an offensive struggle for both teams. Rockford made just three shots from the field and Blackburn connected on just one three-point basket. With Rockford up 84-82 and under a minute remaining, Blackburn forced a second overtime period when it knocked down a pair of free throws to tie the game yet again.
The second overtime period featured twice as much scoring as the first along with multiple lead changes in the closing seconds. With Rockford up 94-93 and less than 20 seconds remaining, the Beavers connected on a pair of free throws to take a 95-94 lead. Senior Ronald Farmer-Blanchard then put the Regents back up one on a made layup with less than 10 seconds remaining. However Blackburn made what appeared to be the game-winning shot when the Beavers drained a three-pointer to take a two-point lead with just seconds remaining. Senior forward David Dixon (Bellwood, Ill./St. Joseph) then made the most important shot of the day for Rockford as he sent the game to a third overtime period when he made a layup as time expired.
Rockford was finally able to take control of the game in the third overtime period and seal the win. Again it was Ronald Farmer-Blanchard who sparked the Regents offense scoring the first eight points of the period. Rockford would eventually put the game away at the free throw line in the closing seconds when Arthur Miller IV connected on all four of his attempts including Rockford's final two of the game to secure the 113-108 victory.
The Regents had four players score in double-figures in Wednesday's win. Senior David Dixon collected his second double-double of the season scoring a game-high 31 points with 11 rebounds and 5 assists. It is the third time in four games this season that Dixon has scored 30 points in a game. Junior Ronald Farmer-Blanchard played his best game of the season coming off the bench for the Regents. The junior had season highs in both points and rebounds with 27 and 14 respectively for his first double-double of the year. Farmer-Blanchard was nearly unstoppable as he connected on 11 of his 15 field goal attempts. Senior Scott Suchy continued his excellent play so far this season as well. Suchy poured in 23 points with 8 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists and a blocked shot. Fellow senior Arthur Miller was the final Regent to score in double-digits. Miller dropped a season-high 11 points on the Beavers while adding 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
The men's basketball team will put its unblemished record on the line this Saturday, November 30th on the road against MSOE. Tip-off for the NACC contest is at 2:00 p.m. in the Kern Center.
