NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Connecticut College 69, Piedmont 67 F/OT
Records: Connecticut College, 9-4, 0-0 NESCAC; Piedmont, 5-6, 0-1 CCS

ATLANTA, Ga. - In the final contest of 2022, the Piedmont men's basketball team was unable to close it out in an overtime loss to Connecticut College, 69-67 at Emory University. 

It was a tightly contested game throughout as neither team led by more than eight in the game. Piedmont led at the break with a three point advantage 28-25 and increased it to 31-25 out of the break thanks to a 3-pointer from WILL RICHTER. 

That six point lead was the most of the game for Piedmont, and the two teams battled early in the second half. The Camels came back to tie the contest multiple times over the opening minutes of the second half, but it was not until back-to-back 3-pointers by Connecticut College that gave them the lead with 12:12 to go. 

The Camels used a 13-0 run to build an eight point lead with 8:43 to play and maintained the lead through much of the conclusion of the second half. Piedmont trailed 58-52 with 2:37 to play but the Lions rallied with two 3-pointers by RYAN JOLLY and NOAH REARDON in the final 1:33 to force overtime. 

In OT, Piedmont fell behind by five with 3:00 to play and was unable to get the offense to connect for over 2:30 minutes on the floor. LUKE HARTENBURG added a pair of free throws with 22 seconds remaining and RYAN JOLLY added a layup and converted on an and-one to trail by the final score of 69-67. 

With seven seconds remaining, Piedmont fouled and the Camels missed their only free throw of the OT period, but the offense was unable to tie or claim the contest on the final possession. 

Hartenburg scored a career-high 13 points off the bench adding a pair of rebounds. DEVIN DEAN was 7-of-10 from the free throw line as Piedmont shot 72% from the charity stripe compared to 53% for the Camels.

Up next, Piedmont will host Greensboro on January 3rd inside Cave Arena at 3 p.m.

TURNING POINT:
--In overtime, the Camels were able to convert 6-of-7 from the free throw line outscoring Piedmont 11-9 in OT.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
--RYAN JOLLY led Piedmont with 17 points adding five in overtime including an and one with just nine seconds remaining. 

NEWS AND NOTES:
--Piedmont overcame an eight point deficit with 8:43 remaining to force overtime. 

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