Bethany Lutheran Men's Basketball Tops Men's Basketball in OT to Win Trinity Invitational

Bethany Lutheran (MN) 80, Worcester State 72    OT

Box Score

Hartford, CT --- Junior forward Andy Willis (North Mankato, MI) scored a tournament- high 37 points and added eight rebounds to lead the Bethany Lutheran College Vikings to a 80-72 overtime win against the Worcester State College Lancers in the championship game of the Trinity College Holiday Invitational Men's Basketball Tournament this afternoon at Oosting Gymnasium.

Worcester State (5-5) scored the first points of the game to jump up 2-0, but it was the only time they would lead in the game, as the Vikings managed to stave off a Lancer comeback that sent the game into overtime thanks to a pair of clutch free throws by junior forward Maurice Horton (Detroit, MI) with 37 seconds remaining in regulation.

The Vikings led by as many as 16 points early in the second half, but the Lancers were able to chip away behind the strong play of Horton, who finished with 14 points and five rebounds with a season-high eight assists. 

In the overtime period, Bethany Lutheran went on a 6-1 run off six consecutive free throws by Wills before Horton got Worcester State within three on a jump shot with 3:32 to play (71-68). After Lancer guard Ryan Testagrossa (Athol, MA) hit a free throw thirty seconds later The Vikings would go on a 8-3 spurt to close out the game as they also drained seven of nine from the charity stripe.

Bethany Lutheran guard Tommy Saffert (North Mankato, MI) finished the game with 17 points, eight assists, two rebounds and two steals. Worcester State junior Elijah Sims (Worcester, MA) notched 11 points with six caroms, two helpers while he also swiped two balls.

The contest was a tale of two halves as WSC shot 36% (10-for-28) from the floor in the first half and improved to shoot 48% (12-for-25) in the second stanza while Bethany Lutheran was deadly accurate from beyond the arc in the first half as they hit at a 61% (8-for-13) clip. Worcester State held the Vikings to hit just one attempt (1-for-7) after the intermission while Bethany also hit 47% of their field goal attempts for the game.

The Blue and Gold outrebounded the Vikings 38-33 while the bench also outscored their counterparts 37-17.

Willis received the Tournament Most Valuable Player award for his performance this weekend, while Saffert joined Willis on the All-Tournament Team to represent Bethany Lutheran. Worcester State was represented by both Horton and Sims.

Portions of Release and Photos Courtesy of Trinity College Sports Information