Dec. 22, 2009
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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - San Diego State extended the nation's longest active win streak in overtime games to nine Tuesday after outlasting Drake 76-73 in OT.
The Aztecs (9-3) took advantage of poor free-throw shooting by Drake and scored the first six points in the extra period to take command and keep their OT streak alive.
The two teams combined for 20 3-point baskets but in the end the game boiled down to which squad was able to make its free throws.
Drake (5-7), which entered the game ranked third in the NCAA in free throw percentage (.787), shot a season-low 57.1 percent (12 of 21) from the line. The Bulldogs made just 2 of 7 free throws down the stretch, including Josh Young's miss on the front end of a bonus situation with 39.2 seconds left in regulation that would have broken a 66-66 tie.
San Diego State, which had been shooting 58.4 percent on free throws, hit 70.8 percent (17 for 24) against the Bulldogs. The Aztecs had a chance to win in regulation after Young's miss, but D.J. Gay missed a layup with 5 seconds left.
Gay was 4 for 5 on 3-point attempts and finished with 18 points for San Diego State. Kelvin Davis and Billy White added 16 points each, and Kawhi Leonard had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Aztecs, who overcame an eight-point second-half deficit in the victory.
Drake was led by Josh Young with 17 points. Craig Stanley added 13, Ryan Wedel had 11 and Adam Templeton 10.
The Bulldogs scored just one basket in overtime - a layup by Stanley with 1:56 left to pull Drake within 72-68. Stanley later hit 2 of 3 free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt with 43.9 seconds left to pull Drake within 75-73.
San Diego State committed a shot clock violation on the ensuing possession with 7.7 seconds left, giving Drake one last opportunity. But Gay blocked a layup by Stanley with 1.2 seconds left to seal the victory.