The Beloit College men's basketball team came roaring back from a 14-point halftime deficit to send the game into overtime but eventually fell to Cornell 80-78 in Flood Arena Saturday afternoon. Beloit's four seniors including Dan Babb, Darin Empereur, Tristan Shoup and Mason Jones were recognized prior to the start of the game. 

Andrew Walters led all players in the first half hitting 5-7 from the floor, 2-3 from three-point range and 2-2 from the free throw line for 14 points but the Buccaneers faced a 40-26 deficit at the break. 

The Rams opened the second half on a 7-2 run to push the advantage out to 19, 47-28, five minutes in. Empereur created a spark draining a three off an assist from Shoup and then hitting a second just over 30 seconds later. Keeling Norman-Klatt continued to bring a little more momentum Beloit's way with a steal that led to a pair of free throws for Walters. Hitting both from the charity stripe, the Bucs had cut the lead to 13 with 13:04 remaining. 

Despite the double digit deficit, it seemed the entire momentum shifted when Caden Anderson stuffed a Rams forward not once, but twice in a matter of mere seconds. The second block was hauled in by Walters who took off on the fastbreak capitalizing with a layup to make it 49-38 with 11:45 on the clock. With a long way to go, the gap fluctuated between 10 and 14 over the next five minutes until Shoup took over the game. A 14-point Cornell lead slipped away as Shoup sandwiched a pair of free throws with two old-fashioned three-point plays to pull the Bucs to within six, 61-55, with just under five minutes to go. 

The teams traded scores until two more free throws for Shoup made it 66-61 with 1:25 remaining in regulation. On the ensuing Rams' possession, Empereur showcased his quick hands on defense poking the ball free from the Rams' ball-handler and diving for the loose ball to draw a foul. He knocked down both on the bonus opportunity to pull Beloit to within three, 66-63 with 1:15 on the clock. 

Empereur hauled in a defensive rebound with under 50 seconds to play and the Bucs took some time off the play and game clock. Moving the ball around as time got short on the shot clock, Empereur found Shoup on the wing for an open three that hit nothing but the bottom of the net to tie the game 66-66 with 34 seconds to play. A Cornell miscue gave Beloit the ball back but the Rams shut down the Bucs offense not allowing an open look to send the game into overtime. 

Empereur opened the scoring in the overtime with a layup before the Rams responded in kind and added a second to take a 70-68 lead. The advantage didn't last long as Empereur drained a three and Shoup followed with a jumper to give Beloit a 73-70 lead with just over two minutes to play. Cornell came back with a three but Shoup had the answer with a jumper. 

Cornell made good on a pair of free throws following a Bucs' foul with just over a minute to go to knot the game 75-75. Beloit continued to move the ball well offensively with Mylan Walters finding an open Empereur beyond the arc for another triple. Once again, the Rams responded in kind to tie it up once more with 34 seconds left. 

A missed jumper was brought down by a Cornell guard with 11 ticks left. He went the distance driving into the lane and hoisting up a shot through two Buc defenders that somehow found the bottom of the net with just 0.7 seconds remaining. Beloit Coach Josh HInz called an immediate timeout with the Bucs trailing 80-78 with less than a second remaining and the length of the floor to go. The Rams sent their 7'0 center to the table as a defensive substitution and when the teams went back to the floor it was no surprise the big man was on the ball trying to make the inbounds pass as tough as possible. Anderson went to inbound for Beloit, and because the timeout had come after a made basket, he could run the baseline. The Bucs sent Empereur in to screen the Rams' center in an attempt to give Anderson an open look. The center ran into Empereur while he set the screen drawing the foul on Cornell but as he got up, it appeared the collision had caused a cut and Empereur was forced to leave the game. 

The Bucs subbed in a shooter but couldn't capitalize on the first bonus try. Forced to try and miss the second bonus shot in hopes a quick put-back, Beloit was called for a free throw violation to give the Rams the ball. Cornell inbounded and ran the final 0.7 off the clock for the final. 

Shoup led all players with 31 points on 11-17 from the floor, 2-4 from three-point range and a perfect 7-7 from the free throw line. Andrew Walters ended up with 20 adding three steals and a game-high eight boards. Empereur cashed in 18 points bolstered by 4-8 from downtown adding a game-high six assists. 

Shoup wraps up his four-year career as a Buccaneer with 1,522 points, fourth-most in program history. His 648 career field goals made is third in the program record book while he ranks fourth with 658 rebounds. Empereur stands sixth in program history with 188 career assists.