FORT WAYNE, Ind. – On Saturday afternoon the University of Saint Francis Cougars (3-0) traveled to Rochester Mills, Michigan to wrap up the Rochester University Classic when they took on the Aquinas College Saints (2-2) and backed by clutch free throws earned an 89-88 win in overtime.

As the game got underway the Cougars struggled a bit. Their shots wouldn't go in while the Saints ran up a 13-2 lead in the opening minutes. But Saint Francis stayed composed and pulled to within three points and then a three-point make by graduate guard Antwaan Cushingberry tied it up at 16.

A back-and-forth battle then ensued as the Cougars took their first lead of the game on a layup by freshman forward Beau Jacquay and then both teams exchanged leads and ties over the next several minutes.

With two minutes remaining in the first half the score was tied at 38, but then the Saints sank a three of their own to pull ahead by three, but then junior guard Brayton Bailey answered back with a layup to pull Saint Francis to within a point as the game went to halftime with Aquinas leading 41-40.

Opening the second half the teams picked up where they left off with the Cougars regaining the lead with three points from Cushingberry, and then the seesaw battle continued.

Five minutes in the Cougars held the upper hand at 52-49 but the Saints answered with a made layup and-one to tie it back up at 52.

Neither team was able to gain more than a three-point edge as the game continued tied at 65 halfway through the second half. Then with five minutes to play the Cougars trailed 77-75 and trailed by two through the next couple of minutes.

But then with three minutes left, a layup by the Saints put the Cougars behind by four points, the largest deficit of the half. Not to worry, they answered right back to tie it back up at 83 as the game entered the final minute.

Then with each team taking one final shot at it, the Saints squeaked out a layup with 34 seconds remaining and as the Cougars took their last shot. It was freshman guard Branden Northern who was fouled and sent to the free throw line and sank two clutch free throws to tie it back up at 85 and send the game to overtime.

During the first several minutes of overtime, little scoring was done as the Cougars led just 87-86 with 80 seconds left in the first overtime. Then down by one in the final 20 seconds, Cushingberry was fouled and sent to the line where he made the free throws, he needed to make to put Saint Francis ahead 89-88 as the Saints had one shot left. The Cougars defense stepped up and they earned the thrilling victory to improve to 3-0 to start the season.

Throughout the game, the Cougars shot 45 percent from the floor, 25 percent from beyond the three-point line, and 77 percent from the free throw line. Cushingberry led the way in scoring with 26 points and going 14-for-16 from the free throw line. Joe Reidy, Brayton Bailey, and Zane Burke all combined for 52 points among the three of them as well.

The Cougars resume play next Friday evening when they travel to Portsmouth, Ohio to compete in the Crossroads Mid-South Challenge with their first game against the Shawnee State Bears (1-1) beginning at 7:00 pm.

Cougar fans, stay updated with all events and recaps with USF Athletics by visiting Saintfranciscougars.com or by downloading the Saint Francis Cougars app.