MONK'S OT BUZZER-BEATER

FRESNO, Calif.-A four-overtime thriller, which was prolonged by three clutch shots to keep it going, finally ended 95-94 in favor of the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (5-12 overall, 4-6 PacWest) in Thursday evening's marathon match-up with the Westmont Warriors (7-10 overall, 3-8 PacWest) inside the Special Events Center.

The lead changed hands 19 times with 13 tied scores, including the end of regulation…overtime…the second overtime…and the third overtime.

Both teams delivered gritty performances and never let the game slip away to multiple possessions.

FPU led for most of the first half, but Westmont grabbed the lead in the final two minutes to take a 27-26 advantage into the break.

In the second half, an Alvar Peltoniemi three-pointer put FPU up by four, but Westmont swung momentum back to take a five-point lead with 5:44 to play.

Things remained tight over the final three minutes, with FPU hanging within a single possession.

Isaac Peralta would cut that to one with a layup at the minute mark, but Westmont quickly answered back with a layup of its own.

On the next trip down, Peralta stepped back in the left wing and buried a three to tie the game at 61 with 29 seconds left.

Neither team could score over the final two possessions to set up OT.

Westmont immediately grabbed the lead with a layup 15 seconds into the period.

The Sunbirds trailed the entire period and were 0-5 from the field when Westmont hit two free-throws with six seconds left to make it 66-63.

But FPU inbounded the ball under its own basket and got the ball to Avery Lewis at half court on the left side of the floor.

Lewis criss-crossed the court with a bullet pass into the right wing where Kyle Monk caught the ball after a deflection, leaped into the air as time was running out and banked in the game-tying three-pointer as the buzzer sounded.

The improbable heave forced a second overtime with the team's tied at 66.

FPU seized the momentum and built a lead at the free-throw line.

The Sunbirds were up 73-70 after two Ryan Abbott free-throws, when Westmont found its heroic three-pointer from Anthony McIntyre (who finished with a game-high 35 points) and tied the game at 73.

FPU had just four seconds to try to end it in the 2^nd overtime but headed into the third OT ceding some of the momentum.

Westmont jumped out to a five point lead in the first minute of triple overtime.

Abbott sparked FPU with a layup and Monk eventually added a layup of his own to make it a three point game in the final minute.

Both teams missed free-throws that could have settled it, but Westmont was up 85-81 when Monk buried another clutch three with 10 seconds in the period, pulling FPU within one.

Another Westmont miss at the line, gave FPU an opening and Monk attempted a three with four seconds left, but was fouled.

Monk hit two of three at the line, forcing the fourth OT.

Westmont opened the fourth OT with a bang, behind an Adrian McIntyre three-pointer but Monk answered back with a three of his own to tie the game at 89.

Free-throws dominated the next two minutes before a Peralta layup gave FPU a 95-92 lead with 24 seconds left.

The Sunbirds defense held firm on the final possession with the Warriors eventually settling for a putback on a missed three as time expired to cut the gap to one.

The marathon of a game saw six players, four from Westmont and two from FPU, play over 50 minutes on the court.

The Sunbirds were led by Monk's career-high 29 points while Peralta delivered 28 points and stuffed the stat sheet with 6 boards and four assists to go with six steals.

Ryan Abbott added 14 points and 13 boards while Avery Lewis rounded out the double-figure scorers with 13.

Fresno Pacific extends its win streak to four games.

The win was also head coach C.J. Haydock's 79^th at FPU, tying him for third place in program history with John Moore, who went on to coach Westmont for 27 seasons.

The Sunbirds will turn around on Saturday to host Biola at 4:30 p.m. inside the Special Events Center.

SUNBIRD SOCIAL 

• Twitter - @fpusunbirds 
• Instagram - @fpusunbirds 
• Facebook - /FPUsunbirds