Hamilton's hot hand caps 75-65 OT victory for Roos

By: Dan Stroud

Posted: 2/25/08

Playing inspired basketball in the last three minutes of regulation and throughout all five minutes of overtime, UMKC freshman guard Reggie Hamilton scored 17 of the last 20 points recorded by the Kangaroos in a 75-65 overtime victory over Centenary College (CC).

Playing the game in Shreveport, La., on their home court, the Gents just couldn't separate from a UMKC (10-19, 5-11 Summit) squad that appeared listless midway through the second half. Unable to get more than a six-point lead at any point in the second stanza, the Kangaroos would eventually take control on the shoulders of their freshman sensation (Hamilton) who recorded his second 20-point effort of the season in successive games. He scored 22 on Thursday night against Oral Roberts University (ORU).

UMKC Head Basketball Coach Matt Brown seemed pleased with the effort and talked about it in his post game interview with WHB 810 broadcaster Danny Clinkscale.

"I think in the last three games [Hamilton] has played extremely well on offense," Brown said. "I was especially proud of our whole team's effort at the end of regulation and in the overtime period."

The victory was the second in the last three Summit League contests for a UMKC squad that seems to be surging toward the league tournament, just two weeks away.

If teams were to be paired off today, UMKC would face off against the IUPUI Jaguars on the opening evening of the Summit tourney. The victory seems to have allowed the Roos to avoid an opening round confrontation with league front-runner ORU.

The Kangaroos hit 12-29 from the three-point line on the night. The 41 percent shooting touch from long range, coupled with a 44 percent clip from the field proved too much on this night for what seemed to be a frustrated Centenary bunch.

Hamilton had scored just three points in the contest and had to that point perhaps his worst effort of the season, but the next eight minutes swept any thoughts of that ilk right off the gym floor.

The late performance turned Hamilton from goat to hero as his seven turnovers earlier in the contest would have played on?a?large scale had the game ended in defeat. The young?guard would?finish the night with a game-high 20 points to go with five rebounds and three assists.

Hamilton scored the last six points in regulation for the Roos, leaving the score tied?at?61-61 when the buzzer sounded. He then proceeded to score the first five points in the overtime period as UMKC floated out to a four-point lead.

But a trey by UMKC senior forward Brian Gettinger seemed to ice the game as the Kangaroos took a 69-62 lead over a by that time listless Gents squad. Centenary would score just once more on a three-pointer by senior forward Nick Stallings after the game had been decided.

UMKC returns home to finish its regular season at Municipal Auditorium against conference foes IPFW (Thursday at 7 p.m.) and Oakland University (Saturday at 7:05 p.m.).

dstroud@unews.com