Colorado State Defeats Manhattan 91-86 In Overtime

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - Wes Eikmeier scored six of his 23 points in overtime as Colorado State defeated Manhattan 91-86 Tuesday night in a consolation game of the NIT Season Tip-Off.

Eikmeier made 11 of his 12 free-throw attempts. Dorian Green added 17 points for Colorado State (4-2).

Michael Alvarado led Manhattan (3-2) with 22 points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that forced overtime. Roberto Colonette had 15 points and 14 rebounds for the Jaspers.

Manhattan erased almost all of a 15-point halftime deficit before Greg Smith hit two free throws to put Colorado State up 79-76. Alvarado then hit his tying 3-pointer.

In overtime, Eikmeier's short jumper helped put Colorado State up 85-80, but the Jaspers tied it again on two free throws by Alvarado and Liam McCabe-Moran's 3-pointer. Green's pull-up jumper and two free throws by Eikmeier gave the Rams a four-point edge with 28 seconds left, and Colorado State held on from there.

The teams combined for 90 free throws; Colorado State was 43 of 54 and Manhattan was 27 of 36.

Manhattan never got on track in the first half, shooting 35 percent from the field and turning the ball over 12 times. The Jaspers also got into foul trouble, sending Colorado to the line 18 times in the half.

Emmy Andujar's basket off an offensive rebound pulled Manhattan within four, 20-16. But the Rams finished the half on a 17-6 run to lead 37-22 at halftime.

Colorado State maintained a double-digit lead well into the second half, but Manhattan shot 65 percent from the field after halftime to whittle it down.

The Jaspers' only lead in the game was 3-2 after a three-point play by Andujar 2:11 into the first half.

The Rams played without forward Pierce Hornung, who missed his third straight game with a concussion.

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