(RV) Thunderbirds Win OT Thriller Over (#19) Gila Monsters, 69-66
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Eastern Arizona College (24-4, 14-4) | 15 | 10 | 20 | 16 | 5 | 66 |
|
Mesa Community College (15-7, 10-5) | 15 | 9 | 20 | 17 | 8 | 69 |
Eastern Arizona College
| Game Statistics | Eastern Arizona College | Mesa Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (20-54) | (22-61) |
| Field Goal % | 37.0% | 36.1% |
| Rebounds | 27 | 37 |
| Assists | 12 | 16 |
| Turnovers | 24 | 25 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 15 | 19 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 4 | 11 |
| Pts in the Paint | 16 | 20 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 2 | 8 |
| Bench Pts | 14 | 17 |
Saturday, February 12, 2022 - 4:25 pm | Derek Diesner
Mesa, AZ - Saturday's game between the (#19) Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters and (RV) Mesa Thunderbirds was a classic, that had playoff implications on the line. Both teams are vying for playoff seeding, and the Thunderbirds upset Eastern 69-66 in overtime to win their second straight game, and seventh out of their last eight games.
With the victory, the Thunderbirds improve to 15-7 overall and 10-5 in ACCAC action. Following the loss, the 19th ranked Gila Monsters fall to 24-4 overall and 14-4 in ACCAC play.
The first half was a defensive battle between these two elite ACCAC squads. After a quarter of play, Eastern and Mesa were all square at 15. In the second quarter, both defenses stepped up. The Gila Monsters scored just 10 points, while Mesa was held to nine points.
Both teams came out scorching hot following the halftime break, as both Eastern and Mesa accounted for 20 points apiece in the third quarter.
Eastern held a slim one-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, and these two squads continued to trade baskets. The Gila Monsters would hit a clutch three-pointer with seven seconds remaining to force overtime.
In OT, Mesa controlled the ball and the crowd. The fans inside of Theo Heap Gymnasium were on their feet and loud as Mesa outscored Eastern Arizona 8-5 in OT to claim the thrilling 69-66 victory.
In the win, the Thunderbirds had four players finish in double-figure scoring. Both Rylee Young and Taylor Tiulana finished with 15 points apiece, while Love Troupe added a team-high 11 rebounds.
The Thunderbirds have hit the halfway point of this four-game homestand. Next up for the Thunderbirds, is a visit from the Phoenix Bears this Monday. Tip time is scheduled for 5:30 pm inside of Theo Heap Gymnasium.
Don't forget to check out the MCC Team Shop, as well as our Booster Club.
