Syracuse, N.Y. – Graduate student guard Kaiyem Cleary (Manchester, England/Redemption Christian Academy (NY)/Florida Southern/Florida Southwestern/Ball State) and freshman guard AJ Dancler (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport) each scored four points in overtime to lead the Le Moyne College men's basketball team to a 69-64 overtime victory over Central Connecticut State University on Thursday night in Northeast Conference action at Ted Grant Court.

With the victory, the Dolphins are in a four-way tie for third place in the NEC standings and clinched a berth in the NEC Tournament.

Cleary finished the game with a double-double of 21 points and 11 rebounds, while adding two assists and two blocks. Dancler went 8-for-8 from the foul line en route to 13 points to go with three assists, two of the team's three steals and two rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench, his highest total against a Division I team. Graduate student forward Luke Sutherland (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee/Siena/Bryant) tallied 15 points and seven rebounds.

Kellen Amos led the Blue Devils in the loss with a career-high 26 points, while adding five rebounds. Tre Breland registered a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds. Allan Jeanne-Rose, the fourth-leading scorer in the NEC at 14.9 per game, was held to six points and scored a combined 13 points in Le Moyne's two wins over the Blue Devils. Jordan Jones, who entered the game ranked in the top 10 at 15.27 points per game in NEC action, was held scoreless for the first time in NEC play.

The teams went back and forth over the opening eight minutes of the game, during which they were tied three times.

After the Blue Devils took their first lead of the game at 12-11 with 12:00 left on a free throw by Breland, the Dolphins scored eight straight points over 1:19 to take their largest lead of the game. Cleary started the run with a three-pointer, followed with a jumper and then redshirt freshman forward Nate Fouts (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles/Kimball Union Academy) drained a three-pointer.

Central Connecticut State used a 15-3 to take its largest lead of the contest. Davonte Sweatman and Breland nailed three-pointers to get the Blue Devils within one before graduate student guard Isaiah Salter (Charlotte, N.C./Central Cabarrus/American International/Adelphi) pushed the margin back to four with his second three-pointer of the half. Amos then hit a jumper, Jayden Brown tied the score with two free throws, Amos buried a three-pointer for the lead and then Jeanne-Rose made two foul shots.

Le Moyne scored five of the last eight points to cut its deficit to 30-27 at the intermission. Cleary had a dunk off a drive on the baseline and then Dancler completed the half's scoring with two foul shots with 10 seconds left.

The Dolphins scored the first five points of the second half to regain the lead 41 seconds in before the teams went back and forth over the next 5:19. Sutherland tied the score at 30 with a three-pointer and then Cleary made a jumper in transition for the lead.

After Sweatman made a lay-up to knot the score at 37 with 14:00 remaining, the Dolphins scored eight of the next 10 points to open up a six-point advantage with 10:33 left. Sutherland drilled another three-pointer for the lead and Cleary followed again with a jumper. Following a Breland jumper, Dancler drilled a three-pointer for a 45-39 lead.

The Blue Devils countered with a three-pointer from Amos and a fast-break dunk from Breland to get within one, but Sutherland scored in the paint and Cleary had a dunk in transition off a steal and pass by Dancler.

After a three-pointer from each team and 1:40 of scoreless action, the Blue Devils, specifically Amos, scored five points in 14 seconds to knot the score at 52 with 5:35 remaining in regulation.

The teams traded points the remainder of regulation as the score was tied on two occasions and the lead changed sides three times. Jeanne-Rose scored CCSU's final point of regulation with a free throw with 1:45 left for a 60-58 lead.

After an empty possession by each team over the next 40 seconds, Cleary hit a jumper with 45 seconds left to tie the score at 60.

Amos was able to get off a three-pointer with 24 seconds left, but it missed and Jeanne-Rose was fouled with 22 seconds left going for the rebound and CCSU retained possession. After the Blue Devils called timeout, Jones held the ball for a final shot, but lost control of the ball with just over three seconds left and Dancler came up with the ball. However, he was unable to get a shot off before time expired.

Dancler opened overtime with a pair of free throws 28 seconds in and Cleary followed by making one with 3:50 left.

Amos tied the score for the final time with a second-chance three-pointer with 3:08 remaining and then Brown put the Blue Devils in front with a free throw with 1:53 to go, however that would be their final point of the night.

Cleary hit a fadeaway right baseline jumper with 1:24 left to put the Dolphins back in front. After Breland was blocked by Cleary on a jumper with 56 seconds left, Cleary drew a foul with 36 ticks remaining. He made the second of two free throws to extend his team's lead to 66-64.

Jeanne-Rose was able to get off a jumper in the paint with 13 seconds left, but it was off the mark and the rebound was grabbed by Dancler, who was promptly fouled. He sank both free throws to push the lead to four with 10 seconds left. CCSU airballed an ensuing three-pointer and then graduate student guard Mike DePersia (Cherry Hill, N.J./Haddonfield Memorial/IUPUI) was fouled with under a second left. He made the first foul shot to end the game's scoring.

Le Moyne (11-14, 6-5 NEC) remains home to take on Stonehill College on Saturday at 2:00 p.m. The game will air on the YES Network and ESPN+.