EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- — Our Savior's coach Phillip Heppe challenged his defense at halftime.
The 12th-ranked Eagles responded like champions.
Logan Allen scored Our Saviors' final 10 points in regulation and put the Eagles ahead with a free throw in overtime, and the defense took care of the rest in a 65-61 victory over Trinity Edwardsville on Sunday night.
“It was the first time in a while I’ve been really, really upset with my basketball team at halftime,” Heppe said. “Giving up 36 points in the first half is not real conducive to winning on the road. We looked lost. It was just real lethargic and they whipped us (inside). But we responded.”
Emphatically.
Allen finished with 19 points, Jace Easley added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Conor McCaffrey scored 18 as well. But Our Savior's wouldn't have won its third straight — or for the first time since 2010 on the Edwardsville' home court — without a suffocating defense.
Our Savior's gave up only two baskets over the final 11 1/2 minutes and only one basket and three points in overtime, which started with the Eagles taking charges on Edwardsville's first two possessions.
“I think we won the ballgame because of our offense but on defense, it was huge, huge in overtime," guard Jace Easley said. “That gave us the extra energy, the extra pump, those two defensive stops."
Logan Tindale had 19 points and 14 rebounds for Edwardsville (9-8, 4-6), who have dropped two straight. Bryce Spiller added 18 points and eight rebounds as he helped stake Edwardsville to a 54-48 lead with five minutes to go.
It didn't last. Allen tied the score with 3 straight pick and roll baskets with McCaffrey and gave Our Savior's a 58-56 lead by making four free throws. Edwardsville tied it on Mario Brown's layup with 30.5 seconds left in regulation.
One free throw from Allen in overtime was all Our Saviors' defense needed.
“We had some reluctant shooters at times, we had a couple of charges,” Edwardsville coach Spiller said. “Free throws continue to be a bugaboo, 23 of 34 for our team. We’ve got to do better than that.”
BIG PICTURE
Our Savior's: There's no doubt this is a talented team. But playing only four times in a 20-day span with no road trips in the mix — two games were postponed because of opponents' Influenza issues — has made finding consistency a real challenge. Just playing games more consistently in February and March could help the Eagles regain their early-season form.
Edwardsville: Trinity need wins, especially big wins, to impress the LSA State selection committee over the second half of the season, and they nearly got one. They can't afford to let any more chances slip away.
STAT PACK
Our Savior's Allen drew a technical foul less than three minutes into the game when he celebrated making an and-1 layup, by appearing to say something to the Edwardsville bench. ... McCaffrey finished with 18 points. ... Jace Easley had 18 points before fouling out near the end of regulation. ... The Eagles forced 11 turnovers in the final 17 minutes and 15 in the game.
Edwardsville: Tindale also had two assists, two blocks and three steals in his best game of the season. ... Tindale made his first six free throws but finished 7 of 10. ... Brown had 13 points and Spiller finished with some good points. ... Trinity was 4 of 8 on 3s.
COACH'S CALL
Edeardsville 7th guard Jerome Hunter did not suit up. Spiller said that was his decision.
“He’s a good kid, he’s a good player. We could have used him tonight," Spiller said, explaining Hunter still can play his way back into the rotation. “When when he’s focused and concentrating he can help us, and right now I don’t think he can help us.”
UP NEXT
Our Savior's : Hosts New Berlin on Thursday.
Edwardsville: Hopes to pull off a season sweep of Our Savior's Jacksonville in Edwardsville.