SYLVANIA, Ohio – Sam Vander Sluis tipped in a missed shot with six seconds remaining in OT and it proved to be the game winner as No. 6 Cornerstone posted a 97-95 victory at Lourdes on Saturday afternoon. The win lifts the Golden Eagles to 18-5 on the year and 11-2 in the WHAC. CU will come back home for both games next week as they start the home-stand with a 7:30 p.m. contest vs. Rochester on Wednesday.
 
What you need to know

• Sam Vander Sluis scored 23 points in the opening half and 22 in the second and OT
• Neither team missed a FT in the first half (CU – 15/15 and LU – 7/7) and CU finished 23/24
• Clif Snow scored 15 points for Lourdes in the opening half and 21 in 2^nd and OT (game total of 36)
• Lourdes was hot from long range in the first 20 minutes (7/15) but made only four the rest of the way
• CU held a 2-point lead late in regulation but a tip in with 4.9 by Lourdes forced OT
• Trailing by two (91-89) with 2:40 to play in OT, Christian Rodriguez hit a wide open triple to put CU up one
• The last play came after a LU dunk to tie it at 95 – Gabe Meriwether was just off on a running layup and Sluis tipped it in and then Lourdes missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer

 
Say What?
"What a battle – Lourdes is a great offensive team and we struggled to get stops but we knew it would come down to rebounding with their defense they play and that tip in by Sluis was a great offensive rebound and put-back. It's a great team win on the road." – Head Coach Kim Elders 
 
By the Numbers
45/22 – Sam Vander Sluis posted a career high in points and was one off in rebounds (previous point high was 30 and 23 rebounds is his career high)
22 – points for Christian Rodriguez
10 – made 3-pointers for the Golden Eagles – six of those in the 2^nd half of OT
11 – Lourdes made one more triple than the Golden Eagles but only four after halftime
23/24 – CU made 23 out of their 24 shots from the foul line
7/5 - Gabe Meriwether made some big plays down the stretch and finished with seven points and five rebounds off the bench
9 - Tyler Baker was 3/7 from behind the arc
1995-96 - The last time a CU player had 40+ points was by Jared Crandell during his senior season
 
 
What's Next?
Cornerstone will be back home for both games next week as the Golden Eagles will host Rochester on Wednesday in the annual Purple Game at 7:30. CU will also welcome UNOH to Mol Arena on Saturday for a 3 p.m. tip.