Photos By Marquis Frias, Sports Editor
By Abrielle Tutino
Susquehanna delivered their most thrilling wins of the season Wednesday night, upsetting Catholic University, the No.1 ranked team in the Landmark Conference, 83–80 in overtime.
Senior guard Jackson Van Wagener saved the day in the fourth quarter with a deep game-tying three at the buzzer, and first-year KJ Carson won it as time expired on a layup feed from Van Wagener.
From the start, every possession carried weight and urgency. Both teams shot confidently and traded baskets, keeping the score within a few possessions throughout.
With 9 minutes left and the score tied at 19 however, Susquehanna would make their run, outscoring the Cardinals 20-4 for the rest of the first half. The run featured amazing offensive output from Carson and senior forward Brandon Lavitt.
The run gave the River Hawks a 39-26 cushion at halftime over the top conference ranked Catholic Cardinals. Lavitt led the River Hawks in scoring with 10 points heading into the locker rooms, with Carson and junior guard Mario Castro Sanchez each adding in eight points of their own.
Out of the break, the Cardinals immediately closed the large window Susquehanna created in the first half. The first seven minutes saw Catholic outscore the River Hawks 14-2 and the Susquehanna lead drop to three points.
With eight minutes left, a layup for Catholic from Peter Gellene gave the Cardinals their first lead since 15-14 in the first half. Just like that, the two teams were back at neck and neck.
Catholic attempted to create separation with perimeter shooting, but Susquehanna answered every push. Van Wagener and Carson helped lead the offensive charge, combining for key baskets during crucial stretches to keep the River Hawks close. Every time Catholic extended the lead to multiple possessions, Susquehanna responded with focus.
The final minute of regulation was electric. Trailing by three with only seconds remaining, the River Hawks needed a perfect look, and Van Wagener delivered. As time expired, he knocked down a three pointer at the buzzer to tie the game and send it into overtime, sending the home crowd into a frenzy and shifting all momentum to Susquehanna.
Overtime proved just as intense. The teams traded scores early in the minutes, with neither side gaining more than a one possession edge. Defensive stops became critical, and Susquehanna capitalized in transition and in late shot clock situations to keep the score tied at 79 in the final seconds.
With the game on the line once again and Catholic looking for a buzzer beater themselves, Van Wagener rose to the moment again. Catholic’s CJ Ruoff attempted a mid-range jumper with four seconds left that was blocked by a lurking Van Wagener. Off the rebound, Van Wagener found his open freshman teammate Carson running the lane.
As the final buzzer sounded in overtime, Carson connected on the game winning layup to seal the victory. What followed was absolute chaos, with students stormed the court in celebration. What unfolded was more than just an overtime win. It was a complete team effort, defined by balanced scoring, timely leadership, and the confidence to deliver in the biggest moments.
“It really reflects the trust that we have in each other, especially in tight games like that,”Carson said. “We never got too high or too low, we just kept playing hard.”
Carson and Lavitt led the way for the River Hawks with 18 points each. Lavitt added in 10 rebounds to his performance which gave him his second double-double of the year.
The win gave the River Hawks their first win over Catholic since 2023, and their second buzzer beater win of the year with this season already featuring a Lavitt game-winner over Juniata in November.
The late game heroics couldn’t have come at a better time for the River Hawks, now sitting at 8-7 in landmark conference play with the strong win against first place catholic.
With the River Hawks still on the outside looking in at the Landmark Conference playoff picture, the win can easily fuel future success in the final three games of the regular season.
The River Hawks will carry their three-game win streak to Scranton, PA when they take on the Scranton Royals on Saturday, Feb 14 at 4:00 p.m.