TIFFIN, Ohio - After leading by 13 with just over five minutes to play, Tiffin men's basketball allowed Alderson Broaddus to come from behind and take an 86-85 victory on Friday night.
Over that final stretch, the Battlers outscored the Dragons 19-5, and Tiffin missed three free throws in the last 72 seconds, including two front ends of one-and-one opportunities.
The difference in the game was truluy from the free-throw line, as the Dragons only made 8-18 (44.4&) of their chances from the charity stripe.
With the loss, Tiffin falls to 6-12 on the year and 2-8 in the conference.
Joshua Williams led the Dragons with 24 points on the night, while Shane Waldon tallied 16 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. Thomas Hickman added 13 points and five steals off the bench, while Terrell Mabins contributed 10 points and seven assists.
Tiffin was able to force 18 Alderson Broaddus turnovers and only turned the ball over themselves 12 times, and held a significant advantage in points off turnovers of 25-9.
The Dragons tralied momentarily at the start of the game, but were able to rally and take an eight-point lead, 38-30, with just under five minutes to play in the opening half on a Williams layup. The Battlers went on a little bit of a run to close the half, however, cutting the deficit to three, 46-43, at the break.
Alderson Broaddus briefly took the lead early in the second-half as they led 49-48 at the 18:44 mark, but nine-straight points culminating in a Williams triple put the Dragons up 57-49 with 15 minutes remaining in the game.
The lead balanced around that margin for the next ten minutes, before a Hickman steal and dunk in transition and an Adams three gave Tiffin the aforementioned 13-point lead, 80-67, with 5:19 left on the clock.
From that point on, the Battlers made six of their seven final shots, including three threes, and went 2-3 from the free throw line to complete the 19-5 run and comeback victory. The Dragons still hung on to a one-point lead with 20 seconds to play, but Alderson Broaddus' Mike Davis pulled up for the game-winner at the left elbow that went down with 2.6 seconds remaining.
Austin Adams was able to get a good look at a half-court desperation heave at the buzzer, but the ball rimmed out and the Battlers took the 86-85 win.
Tiffin will look to regroup and bounce back next Thursday as they continue the homestand by welcoming Ohio Valley University to Old Fort Bank Court at 7:30 p.m.