Park University's men's basketball program battled on the road against Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa on Saturday, coming away with the overtime victory against the Pride, 90-79.

This is the most points scored by Park since defeating Clarke in their previous matchup this season on December 9, 101-62. Park gladly moves up to 9-15 on the season and 7-13 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Clarke falls to 6-18 on the year and 4-16 in the Heart.

Both teams came out taking shots at the other. Clarke got on the board with a three-pointer to begin the game and then Augusto Hausmann brought down a dunk immediately following. The Pride went up by six points after a 5-0 run with 16:01 remaining, 10-4. Three-point shooting was on Clarke' side in the early going with two consecutive made threes to bump up the lead to eight points at 14:16, 16-8. It continued to look up for the Pride as they ventured out to a 28-12 lead with 12:21 to go after a 12-4 run. After a Coach Jason Kline timeout, AJ Watson began to go to work with five unanswered points, including an and-one at 10:54. Kelyn Bolton hit a big time shot from downtown to bring the game back within single-digits with 10:16 to go, 30-21. Seven points from Gagi Gvalia, including a three-pointer, was exactly what Park needed to keep within reach of Clarke with 7:25 left, 35-28. The tide was turning as Bolton cashed in on another three-pointer to make it 37-31 with 6:43 to go, Clarke still out front. Clarke worked hard to keep the Pirates at bay, but a steal by Watson and then transition layup and then a three-pointer the next possession brought the game within three points with a little over a minute to go in the half, 48-45. There were no lead changes in the half, but the Pirates took a bad situation and flipped it for a two possession game at half, 51-47.

It was back-and-forth in the opening minutes of the second half, but Park broke through and gained their first lead of the game at the 14:47 mark after an and-one by Gvalia, 57-56 lead. That was only one basket of the greater 9-0 run that Park would go on to capture a 60-56 lead with 13:34 left to play. Three point shooting would keep Clarke in the game, but Gvalia would score another five points and another and-one to keep in step with the Pride. From 12:28 to 9:52 in the second half there would three ties and two lead changes before Park would regain a five-point lead at the 9:06 mark off a Watson and-one, 72-67. It got tense down the stretch as Clarke made a big three-pointer at the 3:52 mark and then they would go on to tie at 74-74 with 2:31 to play. Robinson gave Park a go ahead score, but once again Clarke would tie at 76, sending both teams to overtime at the end of regulation.

Overtime would be less tense though as Park would outscore the Pride 14-3 in the period for the landslide win, 90-79. Christian Bradford made a layup to get things going and then Watson piggy-backed off him with a three-pointer for an 81-76 lead with 3:56 to go. It then would become a matter of hitting free-throws down the stretch to which Eli Habighorst and Hudson were up for the challenge with six made free-throws between them.

Park impressed from the field at 52.2-percent to Clarke's 43.3-percent.

Three-point percentage was right around the same for both teams in the low 30's, but Clarke was 12-of-35 and the Pirates shot five-of-16.

Both teams made 15 free-throws, but the Pirates were only at 60-percent compared to 83.3-percent for Clarke.

Park took care of the ball in the end with only 10 turnovers to 15 by Clarke. The Pirates had three times the number of points off those turnovers than the Pride at 24 to merely seven.

Both teams clearly had different points of attack, as Park was working inside out with 48 points in the paint to only 24 points in the paint for the Pride.

For the game there were five ties and three lead changes.

Watson could do no wrong on the court with 25 points, matching his season-high. His teammate Gvalia was on fire with 16 points, making it a new season-high performance for him.

Bradford was a force in the game with a double-double on 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Barnes and Habighorst led Park with three assists apiece.

After missing the first semester, Bolton had his most significant contributions in this game with his season-high of eight points.

Park looks forward to their next home game against Benedictine College in Breckon Sports Center on Valentine's Day night, Wednesday, February 14 at 7:30pm WATCH.
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