Nyack College's Khalid Samuels hit a jumper with 2.9 seconds left to propel the Warriors to an improbable 80-79 win over the University of the Sciences men's basketball team on Saturday in Nyack, New York.

The loss drops the Devils record to 5-19 overall and 3-13 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play.  Nyack snaps a 41 game losing streak with the win and improves to 1-26 overall and 1-16 in league play.

Myer Messinger led all players with 24 points (11-17 FG).  Garret Kerr recorded his 19th consecutive double-double with 17 points (7-10 FG) and 10 rebounds.  Barnes added 13 points and Henry Messinger ten.  Patrick Connaghan had seven assists and six rebounds.  Myer Messinger also added six rebounds.  With his 10 rebounds, Kerr becomes just the third player in program history to record 300 or more rebounds in a season.  He also sets a new record for rebounds in a season with 306, breaking the old mark of 303 set by Ray Tarnowski in 1972-73. The 306 rebounds is also the fifth highest single season total in conference history.

Samuels and Chris Hampton had 20 points apiece and Lafayette Curtis added 19.  Jose Pena-Benjamin chipped in 13.   Samuels also had five assists.

The Devils jumped out to an early 21-9 lead in the opening period before letting the Warriors get back in the game with a 17-6 run to cut the lead to one 27-26 with 8:45 left.  A free throw from Henry Messinger and three straight buckets from Kerr put the Devils back on top by eight, before Nyack rallied with a 13-4 run to take their first lead of the game 39-38 with 2:21 left.  Connaghan put the Devils back on top and Alec McClure's three-pointer as time expired gave the Devils a 45-41 lead at the break.

Nyack kept the game close and produced a 10-1 spurt midway through the period to take a 68-60 lead with 10:16 left.  Sciences then ran off eight straight points to tie the game for the seventh time at 68-all.  Mann Barnes later hit a triple to put the Devils up 73-71 before Pena-Benjamin tied it again at 73-73.  Six straight Devils points followed giving the Devils a 79-73 lead with 2:21 left.  Nyack's Ryan Woodard followed with a basket and fouled with 1:56 left.  After missing the free throw the Devils were unable to convert on the other end and Samuels nailed a three with just under 43 seconds left to pull the Warriors within one, 79-78.  Miscommunication by the Devils players resulted in a turnover giving the Warriors the ball with 36 seconds left.  Nyack ran the clock down and after a timeout Samuels picked up a loose ball and connected on a leaning 12-footer in the paint with 2.9 seconds left to give the Warriors the lead.  Sciences turned the ball over on their final possession and the Warriors hung on for the win.  

The Devils shot 55% for the game (33-60) including a 46.2% (6-13) effort from beyond the arc.  Nyack shot 48.4% (14-33) and made three more three-pointers (9-21, 42.9%) from the field.    Nyack was also the better of the two teams at the free throw line, making 11 of 15 (73.3%) to the Devils 7 of 12 (58.3%).  Sciences held a 36-26 advantage on the glass and had a nice 22/11 assist turnover ratio.  The Warriors however, committed just five turnovers (20 assists).

The Devils return to action on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 for their final game of the season, a home contest against Wilmington University.   Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m.