Painesville, Ohio – Regular season champions.
The University of Findlay men's basketball team, ranked no. 12 in the country, earned that distinction on Saturday, March 1, wrapping up the conference slate with a road win against the Lake Erie Storm, a 105-102 double-overtime thriller. After consecutive seasons without a postseason appearance, the Oilers cap the 2024-25 regular season with a 24-4 record and a 17-3 mark in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play. Lake Erie falls to 19-9 (12-8) with the loss.
A series that dates back to 1989-90, UF has dominated LEC on the hardwood, holding a convincing 31-4 record that includes an 18-game winning streak. Saturday's contest, the 36th in the series, was the best yet as the two teams went toe-to-toe with 50 minutes needed to decide a winner. This was just the third time the two teams have gone to extra time and the first time that double overtime was needed.
The Oilers, which had lost back-to-back games in the series with the Storm, started slow, trailing 10-0 through just over two minutes of play. However, over the next six minutes, a 24-4 run by Findlay put the visiting Oilers in front 26-16.
With 7:19 to play in the first half, UF was in complete command and had built a game-high 14-point lead at 38-24, but that would not be enough as the Storm roared back, closing the half on a 22-8 run, tying the game at 46 by the midway point.
Fast forward to the end of regulation, the Oilers led by five with just over a minute to play. Lake Erie got two free throws to pull within three and forced a turnover with inside of 50 seconds left. A three pointer by Todd Simons was true to tie the game, but with eight seconds on the clock, Findlay's Will Aljancic was fouled and sent to the line. He did not hit the front end of the one-and-one, sending the game to overtime.
Findlay jumped ahead 93-86 in the first two minutes of overtime with all seven of its' points coming from the hands of junior Jagger Landers. LEC responded with a 7-0 run to tie the game but, with six seconds on the clock, Derrick Anderson missed his second free throw, keeping the game tied and forcing a second overtime period.
With a minute to play, a hoop-and-harm by Landers put the Oilers in front 100-99. A defensive stop led to two more tries at the stripe by junior Mekhi Elmore, both of which were converted. Two more free throws came from sophomore Anthony Johnson, putting the Oilers ahead 104-100 with nine seconds to play. That would be enough as UF hung on to claim the win.
Saturday's game featured 12 ties and seven lead changes in what is an instant classic between the two highest scoring teams in the G-MAC this season. Findlay shot 38-of-72 (53%) from the floor including 11-of-25 (44%) from three. Free throws hurt the Oilers on Thursday night in Ashland, but against the Storm, UF made 18-of-24 (75%), its' highest free throw percentage in a game with 20 or more free throw attempts this season.
Landers was the leading scorer for UF, pouring in 19 points, 16 of which came in the second half and overtime. He also tied for a team-high with seven rebounds and three assists, which went along with a pair of blocks.
Elmore scored 17 points and had seven rebounds while senior Josh Thorbahn had 13 points and led the team with three triples. Sophomore Jake Bishop also scored 13 and freshman Ian Ioppolo had ten. Junior Mason Brandt had a good game, scoring eight points and collecting five rebounds.
Findlay's 24 wins are the most since 2018-19 while the G-MAC Regular Season Championship is the program's 17th since joining the NCAA and the first since the 2019-20 season. Four times the Oilers have earned the top seed heading into the G-MAC Tournament, the most in conference history.
The Oilers will now turn their attention to the postseason. Findlay will host the eighth-seeded Cedarville Yellow Jackets on Tuesday, March 4 in Croy Gymnasium. That game will tip off at 7:00 pm. More information, including ticketing information, will be released on Sunday afternoon.
