LEWISTON, Idaho – Ryan Imhoff made two free throws with five seconds left to help Carroll College escape with a 73-72 win over Lewis-Clark State in Frontier Conference play at the LCSC Activity Center on Saturday night.
 
Carroll, ranked No. 24 in the country, seemed to be headed to a probably loss just seconds earlier, but LCSC's Doug McDaniel, the NAIA leader in free throw shooting, missed the front end of a one-and-one situation with 15 seconds left. Imhoff was then fouled while driving to the basket and converted both free throws to put Carroll ahead.
 
McDaniel managed to get off a 25-foot shot at the buzzer despite being double teamed, but it bounced off the rim and Carroll got the win.
 
The victory improves the Saints to 14-3 overall and 4-1 in conference play, while LCSC falls to 13-5 and 3-3.
 
"I thought our guys battled and played hard for 40 minutes," LCSC coach Brandon Rinta said. "We didn't come up with the win, but there's been some games this season we have dropped where you could look at this stretch or that stretch where we shot ourselves in the foot. It's hard not to hang your head, but I don't think the guys should hang their heads tonight with the performance that they had."
 
The see-saw contest saw the lead change hands 15 times. Carroll was able to make a run and grab a 64-57 lead with seven minutes left, but LCSC rallied and tied it on a 3-point by Anthony Sullen with 2:51 remaining.
 
McDaniel gave LCSC its first lead of the second half at 72-70 with an offensive tip in. Matt Wyman made one of two free throws to cut it to one, but McDaniel answered with a drive to the basket to make it 72-69. Imhoff answered with a jumper to again cut the lead to one with 32 seconds left.
 
After an LCSC timeout, Carroll's Zach Taylor nearly came up with a steal, but as he was intercepting a pass, he stepped out of bounds. That gave the ball back to LCSC with just 16 seconds left and a new shot clock.
 
Because LCSC could run out the clock, Carroll was forced to foul, and it fouled the one player it didn't want to, McDaniel. The senior entered the night 47-of-50 at the foul line and had hit his previous two attempts.
 
This time, however, his free throw bounced off the back rim. Carroll then rushed the ball up the court and Imhoff was fouled driving to the basket. He converted both of his attempts for the eventual final score.
 
"It was back and forth, both teams making runs," Rinta said. "We got down there a little late, fought back, and some guys stepped up with some big time performances. Doug was solid. (Ty) Higbie and Sullen had some big plays. And it's tough to lose that way at the end but that's what we have been looking for – to be able to compete like that for 40 minutes and against one of the top teams in the nation.
 
McDaniel finished with 20 points, five rebounds and two steals, while Higbie added 15 as he hit all five 3-pointers he attempted. Sullen added 18, while Isaiah Omamogho had 11 points.
 
For the game, LCSC was 28-of-61 from the field for 45.9 percent and 12-of-28 from the 3-point line for 42.9 percent. Carroll was 26-of-51 from the field for 51 percent, and 4-of-11 at the 3-point line, 36.3 percent. Carroll also outscored LCSC by 13 at the free-throw line.
 
The Warriors will try to bounce back on the road next week in a pair of conference games. LCSC will tangle with Great Falls on Friday and then travel to Havre, Mont., to face Montana State-Northern on Saturday.