HAMILTON – Jalen Cox's spinning step-back jumper with 9.6 seconds left in overtime lifted Colgate past Boston University 80-79 in a thriller Saturday afternoon at Cotterell Court.
Cox, who scored nine points in overtime, drove the basket and made a 360-spin move to gain some space before stepping back and draining the game-winning basket with 9.6 seconds showing. Sam Hughes' jump shot from the free throw line came up short on Boston U's final possession, sealing the one-point victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Cox took over late in the game after Colgate fell into a five-point deficit with less than four minutes remaining. He scored the Raiders' last seven points of regulation, including his game-tying three-point play in the final minute that sent the game to overtime tied at 66-66.
Cox (23) and Sam Wright (22) were Colgate's leading scorers, followed by Kyle Carlesimo who was 3-for-3 from behind the arc and finished with 13 points. Andrew Alekseyenko reached double-figures for the sixth straight game, totaling 10 points with seven rebounds.
Colgate's largest lead in the game was two points, midway through the second half, and it only led for four total minutes. Boston U's fast start opened a 13-4 lead for the visitors, who maintained an advantage for most of the opening stanza.
Carlesimo cashed in with a pair of 3-pointers to get the Raiders going, and then Wright and Cox followed with trifectas after a second-chance layup from Alekseyenko to briefly give the Raiders a 25-24 lead. Boston U closed with a 6-2 response to lead 30-27 at the break.
A 3-pointer from Wright gave Colgate its largest lead, 49-47, midway through the second half. Boston U immediately responded with a 5-0 surge to retake the lead, which it maintained all the way down to the final minutes before Colgate staged the comeback.
Even after Colgate's regulation comeback, Boston U scored the first five points of overtime after a 3-pointer from Hughes. Wright's fourth 3-pointer of the game sparked the Raiders, who raced on an 8-2 run to take a one-point lead, 76-75, with 1:12 remaining in overtime.
Both teams traded one-point leads in the final minute before Cox's step-back jumper gave Colgate the lead for good on the Raiders' way to their 80-79 victory.
NOTES
- This was Colgate's first overtime game at Cotterell Court since Jan. 2, 2017, when the Raiders fell to American, 67-64 in the extra session.
- The Raiders had not won an overtime game at home since Jan. 23, 2013, against Army (93-90), snapping a five-game skid in such games with Saturday's victory.
- Colgate improved to 1-1 in overtime contests this season. The Raiders lost a heartbreaker in double-overtime at Cornell, 95-94, on Nov. 20.
- This was the second consecutive overtime game between Colgate and Boston University dating back to last season. The Terriers came out victorious in the last one, 93-91, in double OT on Feb. 15, 2025.
- Jalen Cox posted his second consecutive 20-point performance, his third in the last five games, and his eighth overall of the season.
- Sam Wright matched his career-high 22 points, which he scored earlier this season against Drexel Nov. 11, 2025.
UP NEXT
Colgate (12-9, 6-2 Patriot) continues Patriot League action next Wednesday when the Raiders host Holy Cross at 7 p.m. for their Coaches vs Cancer (Suits & Sneakers) awareness game.
