Ledbetter Scores 40 Points, Including Game-Winning Shot in Third Overtime for Win Over Rockhurst

Brett Ledbetter scored 40 points, including the game-winning shot in the third overtime period as UMSL beat Rockhurst 83-82 on Saturday. The win gave UMSL a split for the weekend conference series that started with a loss at Drury on Thursday night.

At Rockhurst, UMSL got the first two buckets of the game and controlled most of the first half. The Rivermen pushed their lead out to as many as ten points late in the first half on a jumper by Brett Ledbetter with two minutes left in the half and UMSL took that ten-point lead into halftime, leading 31-21. Rockhurst came out strong in the second half and came back to tie the game at 36-36 with 15 minutes remaining. The Rivermen quickly regained the lead on a jumper by Ty Adams and held that lead until the Hawks tied it again with three minutes left at 52-52 and the teams then exchanged buckets and went to overtime, tied 54-54.

UMSL had the lead late in the first overtime period, but Rockhurst hit a pair of late free throws to tie it up and force a second overtime. The second overtime period was much of the same, with six total ties and neither team leading by more than two and the teams were knotted at 79-79 going into a third overtime period. Rockhurst hit a three pointer to start the third overtime period, but the UMSL defense held the Hawks scoreless the rest of the way. Trailing by three, UMSL got a pair of free throws from David Ward with just under two minutes left to pull within a point, and Brett Ledbetter hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer to give UMSL the one-point win, 83-82.

UMSL was led by Brett Ledbetter, with a career high 40 points on the night, including 19 total points in the three overtime periods. He hit 11-of-21 from the field, including 7-of-12 from three-point range, 11-of-12 from the free throw line and pulled down seven rebounds. Ledbetter's 40 points in the game ties the eighth highest single game scoring output in UMSL history, tied with Jack Stenner who scored 40 in the 1967-68 season. It was the third, three overtime game in UMSL history, and the first since the 1982-83 season.

On Thursday, UMSL fell 86-51 at Drury in the conference opener. UMSL got two three pointers in the opening mintues, one from Brett Ledbetter and one from Troy Slaten, for a quick 6-0 lead, but Drury came back and scored the next 13 points to claim the lead. The Panthers then held that lead for the rest of the game to take the win. Nathan Whittaker led UMSL in scoring with 13 points on the night and Stanley Boateng had nine points for the Rivermen.

UMSL is now 3-3 on the season and is 1-1 in the GLVC. The Rivermen will be in action again on Saturday, December 16, when they host Maryville at 7:00 pm.