GLENVILLE, W.Va. - With the final week of Mountain East Conference play underway and postseason positioning tightening, Wednesday (Feb. 25) night at the Waco Center felt every bit like March. In front of a loud Waco crowd that never sat down in the closing minutes, the Glenville State Men's Basketball team and the University of Charleston delivered a back-and-forth battle that needed overtime to decide it. When it was over, Charleston escaped with a 79–78 victory in a game that featured 18 lead changes, 11 ties, and a finish that will be talked about long after the final horn.
1st Half
Charleston struck first. Thomas Hailey opened the scoring with back-to-back buckets inside, and Braden Chapman quickly found his rhythm from beyond the arc as the Golden Eagles built a 14–6 lead in the opening minutes. Glenville State answered behind Ammar Maxwell, who established himself early in the paint with six quick points to stabilize the offense. Corey Boulden added a three-pointer to trim the deficit, and the Pioneers began to settle in. Chapman, however, stayed aggressive. The Charleston guard connected on multiple first-half threes, helping stretch the lead back to eight midway through the period.
The Pioneers responded again. Jalen Knott and Don Colon-Lewis knocked down key perimeter shots, and Callum Crossman brought energy off the bench, including a tip-in that briefly pushed Glenville in front. The teams traded baskets down the stretch, and Elijah Redfern converted a late free throw to send the game into halftime tied at 35–35.
2nd Half
Charleston opened the second half with a quick 5–0 run, highlighted by a Hamilton Campbell three, looking to regain control. But the Pioneers had another answer. Colon-Lewis tied the game at 40–40, and midway through the half Glenville pieced together its strongest stretch of the night. Defensive stops turned into transition opportunities, and Crossman electrified the building with a dunk following a Redfern steal, capping a run that gave the Pioneers a 57–52 advantage.
Chapman refused to let the Golden Eagles fade. The senior guard, who finished with a game-high 26 points and seven three-pointers, continued to deliver from deep as Charleston clawed back. Inside the final two minutes of regulation, the intensity reached another level. Knott drilled a three-pointer to tie the game at 69–69 with 1:49 remaining. Campbell answered from the wing. Moments later, Redfern buried a clutch three to even the score again at 72–72. Both teams had chances to win it in regulation. Redfern's late drive was denied at the rim, and Charleston's final tip attempt as time expired fell short, sending the game to overtime.
Overtime
The extra period was a grind. Redfern opened overtime scoring with a jumper to give Glenville a 74–72 edge. Ben Nicol answered with a three-pointer for Charleston. With under a minute remaining, Prince Mosengo delivered a powerful dunk to put the Pioneers ahead 76–75, bringing the crowd to its feet once again. Hailey responded with a layup to reclaim a 77–76 lead for Charleston with 23 seconds to play. Then came the defining moment. With six seconds remaining, Jalen Knott escaped the double team and was fouled hard, injuring his arm on the play. After a Glenville timeout to check on him, Knott remained in the game and stepped to the free-throw line. He calmly sank both free throws. Glenville 78, Charleston 77.
On the ensuing possession, Charleston pushed the ball coast-to-coast. Matthew Shelton drove toward the rim and elevated as Colon-Lewis rotated over to contest. The two collided in midair, sending Shelton to the floor. Officials upgraded the foul to a flagrant, awarding Charleston two free throws and the ball back. Chapman converted both with two seconds remaining to give the Golden Eagles a 79–78 lead. Glenville had one final opportunity, but time expired before the Pioneers could get a clean look.
Final Stats
Charleston
- Braden Chapman: 26 points, 7-of-12 from three-point range
- Thomas Hailey: 12 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists
- Hamilton Campbell: 11 points
- Ben Nicol: 10 points, 3 three-pointers
- Matthew Shelton: 8 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks
Glenville State
Up Next For The Pioneers
The Pioneers will close out the regular season with MEC Tournament seeding implications on the line against Concord on Saturday (Feb. 28). It will be senior day and winter homecoming inside the Waco Center for a 4 p.m. tip-off.
