Damas, Towson Stun Oregon State In OT 67-66

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) -- Marcus Damas drilled an 18-foot shot with eight-tenths of a second left gave Towson a shocking 67-66 overtime win Saturday over Oregon State.

The Tigers (5-8), who got 20 points and a career-high 21 rebounds from Jerrelle Benimon, overcame a 19-point second-half deficit to force the five-minute extra period.

Ahmad Starks gave Oregon State (9-3) its first lead in overtime on a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.

On the ensuing possession, Damas took a pass a few feet inside the 3-point line on the left wing and nailed the shot, quieting the Gill Coliseum crowd that had celebrated Starks' shot a short time earlier.

The Beavers, who suffered their first loss in seven home games this season, were unable to get off a potential game-winning shot. Oregon State's Roberto Nelson was called for an offensive foul while going after a deep inbounds from teammate Joe Burton. Towson then inbounded the ball to run out the clock.

"You go to 19 like we did and you have an ability to make a team quit, and you don't make the plays you need to make," Oregon State coach Craig Robinson said.

Towson declined interviews after the game.

Damas finished with 16 points and teammate Jerome Harrison had nine points and five rebounds.

Towson, which lost by 20 at home to Oregon State last season, grabbed 13 offensive rebounds in the second half after getting just two in the first half. The Tigers had a 46-44 rebounding advantage overall.

"That can't happen, where they just muscle us with offensive rebounds," said Oregon State's Eric Moreland. "You're not going to win a game like that."

Moreland had 16 points, a career-high 18 rebounds and six blocks. Burton added 15 points and Nelson 14 points.

Towson, which had lost four in a row, trailed 44-25 after Burton made a layin with 16:06 left.

The Tigers answered, eventually closing within 47-40 on Benimon's basket off on offensive rebound with 9:13 remaining. A layin by Towson's Timajh Parker-Rivera with 7:26 left made it 51-46 Oregon State. A basket by teammate Jerome Hairston on the next possession got the Tigers within three.

Benimon made it a two-point game with a layin, and Bilal Dixon's layin with 1:14 left got the Tigers back to even for the first time since the opening seconds of the game.

The teams then traded two free throws apiece, by Devon Collier and Benimon.

Oregon State had the final possession of regulation, with Starks missing a layin and Collier missing two close-in shots before time expired.

"I just think we took our foot off the pedal. I thought we were going in the right direction," Nelson said. "Everybody was jelling and we kind of took a step back and let them get their rhythm, and once they got their rhythm they just started playing."

Benimon gave Towson its first lead of the game with the first basket of overtime. Teammate Rafriel Guthrie gave the Tigers a 64-62 lead on two free throws with 49 seconds left.

Nelson and Damas each made 1 of 2 free throws before Starks gave the Beavers their final lead of the game.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)