Fitchburg State Edges Daniel Webster, 72-71

Rubin knocks down three clutch free-throws to lift Falcons to sixth win of the season

NASHUA, N.H. (December 3, 2011) – Sophomore guard Mike Ingram-Rubin (Boston, Mass./Bedford) drew a foul from outside the three-point line and sank three free throws with 0.4 seconds remaining in regulation giving Fitchburg State a 72-71 victory over host Daniel Webster in a men's basketball regional matchup Saturday at Mario Vagge Gymnasium.

Ingram-Rubin's game winners marked the six and final lead change between the two teams in a back-and-forth second half that also saw eight ties as the Falcons improved to 6-1 on the season and dropped the Eagles to 1-5.

Junior Zach Valliere (Douglas, Mass./Douglas) led Fitchburg with 22 points including 19 in the first half while Ingram-Rubin finished with 14 and Tom Henneberry (Lexington, Mass./Lexington) added 12 points including eight in the second frame.

John Hickson (Springfield, Mass.) led the Eagles with 22 points, going 10 of 12 at the free throw line, while Daris Cosby (Albany, N.Y.) notched 17 points and Keith Speed (Columbus, Ohio) added 12. Aiden Collins (Paterson, N.J.) chipped in with eight points.

DWC climbed back into the second half after trailing by as many as nine (36-27) a minute and a half into the period. Trailing 48-43 after two freebies from Brandon Selby (Baltimore, Md./Joppatowne) with 11:51 left, Hickson followed with a three-pointer and layup sparking an 11-2 run capped by a Cosby layup for a 54-50 Eagle lead with 8:23 to go.

Fitchburg would again pull ahead by five (59-54) on a Ingram-Rubin jumper with 6:03 left but DWC answered with a Collins layup and four from Hickson at the line to pull ahead (60-59) with 4:05 left.

From there, the teams traded leads four more times and were tied five times over the final four minutes. DWC held a 70-66 edge with 22 seconds left after a Speed layup and one at the line from Hickson before a wild final 10 seconds.

Ingram-Rubin cut the lead with a three at the eight-second mark and after Cosby sank one at the line with 5.9 seconds left, Ingram-Rubin pushed down the court and appeared to be fouled on the floor but was called in the act from outside the arc at the 0.4 mark. After knocking down his three chances, the Eagles drew a foul on the inbounds pass with 0.2 seconds showing but couldn't convert as the Falcons escaped with the victory.

Fitchburg State (6-1, 0-0 MASCAC) will be back in action on Tuesday as it hosts Mount ida College at 5:30 p.m. Daniel Webster (1-5, 0-0 NECC) will host Mitchell College on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.