Rattlers deny TAMIU Heartland crown in double OT

Box Score

SAN ANTONIO — Texas A&M International has probably seen enough of St. Mary's Marvin Binney.
 
Binney's way-beyond-the-arc 3-point shot with 27 seconds left in double overtime Saturday silenced the Dustdevils, leading St. Mary's Men's Basketball past Texas A&M International 74-65 as the Rattlers celebrated Senior Day at Bill Greehey Arena.
 
Binney (Jr., Toronto, Ontario), who led the Rattlers (19-7, 12-6 Heartland Conference) with 17 points and six assists, broke open a two-point game into a 70-65 advantage that St. Mary's would not relinquish.
 
Holding TAMIU scoreless in double OT, the Rattlers denied the Dustdevils the right to share the Heartland Conference regular-season championship with Arkansas-Fort Smith, and in effect deny TAMIU the right to host next week's Heartland Conference Tournament.
 
The tournament, running March 7-8, now goes to top-seeded UAFS in Fort Smith, Ark., where the No. 3-seeded Rattlers will meet the No. 2-seeded Dustdevils once more in Friday's opening round. Game times have not yet been released.
 
Binney — a familiar TAMIU foe — followed his 3-point shot with two more clutch free throws in the waning seconds. He went 10 of 12 at the free-throw line and was clutch down the line, also hitting a jump shot to help force the first overtime period.
 
Binney's efforts in the Heartland Conference finale mirrored the Rattlers' first matchup against the Devils earlier this season — a triple-OT Rattlers victory — as his layup with no time on the clock forced the first overtime and a last-second jumper sealed their buzzer-beater victory in Laredo.
 
On Saturday, after the Dustdevils put the first two points of the game on the board, the Rattlers were able to regain the leading position and maintain it for the remainder of the half. They held the Dustdevils to 10-of-25 shooting in the first half and allowed only one 3-point shot.
 
The Rattlers also held TAMIU's Johnel Grey, who averaged 12 points per game, to a scoreless afternoon on four shot attempts.
 
At the half, the Rattlers led 36-29.
 
Coming back from the break, the Dustdevils came back with a vengeance. They quickly cut the Rattlers' lead and tied the game at 38 within the first five minutes of the second half.
 
Throughout the remainder of the second period, the score was tied six times with the lead changing seven times.
 
In the second half, there were 22 fouls called between the two teams; the Rattlers were able to capitalize on the foul-fest, going 8 of 10 from the line in the second half, while the Dustdevils went 4 of 11.
 
With the clock winding down in regulation, the Rattlers were able to keep the game within reach.
 
JJ Bolton (Jr., Beaumont, Miss.) was fouled and sent to line where he split his shots to tie the game at 54; the Dustdevils then rebounded the ball and made their way down the court with 25 seconds on the clock.
 
With three seconds left in regulation, the Dustdevils missed a jump shot, sending the game to OT.
 
Overtime was a game of fouls, with nine fouls being committed between both teams; once again, the Rattlers were able to keep the game close with their 7-of-9 shooting at the line.
 
After a layup on the Dustdevils' end that tied the game at 65, the Rattlers had possession with five seconds on the clock.
 
A missed jumper with one second left would force a second overtime period.
 
During the second and final overtime, the Rattlers were able to crack open the game, going on 9-0 run to seal their victory over the Dustdevils.
 
In addition to Binney's team-high 17 points, three other Rattlers scored in double-digits: Isaiah Matthews (R-Jr., Texas City, Texas) chipped in 14 points; and Fred Wilson (Sr., Seattle), the lone senior honored, and Ryan Thomas (Jr., Riverton, Utah) contributed 13 and 10 points, respectively.
 
The Rattlers commanded the boards, outrebounding the Dustdevils 49-37. Bolton pulled down ten rebounds, while Joe Monroe (R-Jr., San Antonio) and Thomas chipped in seven boards apiece.