By Con Marshall Box Score
             The Chadron State College men’s basketball team won their 8th straight game and clinched a spot in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with an 89-85 overtime victory at Colorado State-Pueblo in Pueblo on Saturday night.
Of all the games the Eagles have played this century, perhaps none of them have been more dramatic. After winning all but one of their previous 7 games by at least 12 points, this one was a nail-biter all the way.
The Eagles were behind on the scoreboard for more than 30 of the 40 minutes during regulation play, and had to come from 7 points down in the final 2 minutes to knot the score at 75-75 and send it into overtime.
They finally sealed the verdict when team captain Marcus Jefferson made four free throws in the last four seconds of the extra session.
Now 16-8 for the season and 13-5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the Eagles had trailed for 17 minutes in the first half before going on an 11-2 run that gave them a 42-35 halftime lead.
The rally was capped by a long 3-pointer at the buzzer by guard Bryce Latimer, nearly always the smallest and always the quickest player on the court.
The clutch shot gave Latimer 11 points at halftime. He then scored 15 in the second half and another 6 in overtime to give him a game-high 32.
Besides his first half buzzer-beater, his output included the 2 final baskets of the second half. Both were driving layups, the last one with only a second left on the clock to force overtime..
For the game, Latimer was 14 of 26 from the field to go with 3 free throws. The Eagles also got 19 points from Isaiah Wyatt, who was 5-of-7 on 3-pointers, and 16 from Jefferson.
Pueblo, now 11-13 overall and 7-11 in the RMAC, was led by 6-foot guard Lian Ramiro, who had 4 treys among his 10 field goals while scoring 24 points. Isaiah Thompson and Meekness Payne, both 6-6, 215 pounds, added 18 and 14 points, respectively.
Thompson claimed 13 rebounds to tie the Eagles’ Josh Robinson for game-high rebounding honors, but CSC also had center Porter Anderson grabbing 11 caroms, 7 of them off the offensive glass to help the Eagles score 19 second chance points.
Both teams shot well from the field. Chadron State was 32-66 while Pueblo was 33-63, and each hit seven 3-pointers.
The Eagles could have avoided overtime by doing better at the free throw line. They were just 12 of 23 in regulation, but made all 6 of their charity shots in overtime.
The Eagles play at Metro State and Colorado Mines in the Denver area this coming weekend. Mines is one game ahead of CSC to host a first-round game in the RMAC Tournament.
CSC concludes the regular season at home by hosting South Dakota Mines and RMAC leader Black Hills State on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 22 and 23.
Chadron State 42 33 14 — 89
CSU-Pueblo 35 40 10 — 85
Chadron State—Bryce Latimer 32, Isaiah Wyatt 19, Marcus Jefferson 16, Josh Robinson 9, Porter Anderson 5, MJ Foust 5, Jarrett Taylor 3. Totals: 32-66 (7-16) 18-29 89 points, 39 rebounds, 7 turnovers.
CSU-Pueblo—Lian Ramiro 24, Isaiah Thompson 18 Meekness Payne 14, Elijah Moleon 10, Makiah Morris 7, Noble Robinson 6, DeShaun Cooper 4, Micah Lamberth 2. Totals 33-63 (7-18) 12-17 85 points, 35 rebounds, 11 turnovers. 3-pointers: CSC—Wyatt 5, Jefferson 1, Latimer 1. CSU-P—Ramiro 4, Payne 2, Morris 1