Seneca Willoughby Lifts Cats over Rattlers in Overtime

March 09, 2024

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Trailing by four with just 25 seconds to play, Bethune-Cookman emerged victorious over Florida A&M thanks to a three ball by Seneca Willoughby, Saturday afternoon at the Al Lawson Center.

With the win, the Wildcats clinch the SWAC's No. 5 seed, and now face a date with the Southern Jaguars on Thursday, March 14 to open SWAC tournament play in Birmingham, Ala. 



The Wildcats (16-15, 11-7 SWAC) raced out to a quick 20-12 after a hot shooting start from Dhashon Dyson. 

Florida A&M (6-13, 4-14 SWAC) trimmed it to single digits on a Chse Barrs layup with four minutes to play in the firt half, but Jakobi Heady made it a ten-point game again with a jumper.

Heady's bucket with just four seconds remaining in the half made it 37-26 as the two teams hit the break. 

The Wildcats lead, 40-29 after another three ball from Dyson, but the Rattlers cut it two a two-point game on a 15-6 run that made it 46-44.

Yet another three ball from Dyson made it a seven-point game again with eight minutes remaining, but five straight points brought the lead down to two once again at 51-49.

FAMU took its first lead of the second half as Jaley Speeer put the Rattlers up 52-51. They led by as much as three before Dyson was nails once again to tie things at 59-59 and send the ballgame to overtime. 

The two squads found themselves tied at 62-62 just over halfway through the extra minutes before back-to-back Rattler buckets made it 66-62. With 18 seconds remaining, he drilled a three ball to erase all Rattler hopes as B-CU held on for the 67-66 win. 

With just 24 seconds remaining, Seneca Willoughby grabbed an offensive rebound and took a foul, making both free throws to make it a two-point game at 66-64

• Dhashon Dyson led the Wildcats in scoring with 26 on 10-20 shooting with six threes made. He added two rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
• Jakobi Heady and Reggie Ward Jr. also scored in double figures. Ward grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
• Damani McEntire grabbed three steals in his final regular-season game in the Maroon & Gold. 
• Only two points came off the bench for B-CU. FAMU scored 18 8poitns off the bench.
• B-CU scored 29 points off turnovers and 13 off of fast breaks. 

   

The 2024 Starry SWAC Men's Basketball Tournament presented by Buick is up next for B-CU as the Wildcats will hed to the Magic City to take on Southern on Thursday, March 14 at 9:30 p.m. EST.


Follow Bethune-Cookman Men's Basketball on Twitter (@BCUHoops) and Instagram (@BCU_Hoops) for all of the latest news and updates. For all Bethune-Cookman Athletics news, follow us on Twitter (@BCUAthletics), Instagram (@BCU_Athletics) and BCUathletics.com.
 

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