Columbia, MD- It took five extra minutes to settle it, but Howard Community College proved it could trade punches with a Division I opponent, pushing DI Monroe University into overtime before falling in a hard-fought thriller Sunday afternoon.

From the opening tip, the Dragons showed no signs of intimidation. Myles McDuffie (Baltimore, MD/Lake Clifton) and Monroe's Naceiar Kirksey had an offensive battle to start the match. McDuffie, the second leading scorer for Howard, started with seven points straight, carrying the offensive load and finishing with seventeen points and eight rebounds. 

By halftime, Monroe had edged in front 40–30, capitalizing on second-chance points and limiting turnovers against Howard's defense. 

In the second half the switch was flipped. What was a 12 point lead to start the half got zapped away in huge part to the play off the bench from Evin Thompson (Silver Spring, MD/Sherwood). Thompson went on an 8-0 run by himself, making a layup in transition and hitting back to back threes.  His play cut the lead down to three, and after that the Dragons never let up. Howard tightened up defensively, switching aggressively and contesting passing lanes. Matt Dalton (Sykesville, MD/Bishop O'Connell) led the team in rebounds while attacking the basket, and knocked down free throws at a high rate. He finished with a near double-double, eight points and nine rebounds.

Free throws from Jake Tillman (Atlanta, GA/Lakeside) gave Howard the lead, and in the following possession, with an incredible clutch shot Tillman nailed his fifth three pointer of the night. In his season high, Tillman led all Dragons in scoring off the bench with nineteen points, while leading the team in assists. 

With two minutes left to play in regulation and Howard leading by three, Monroe got fouled, knocked down a free throw and on the second miss, pulled down an offensive rebound and got fouled again. Kirksey tied the game up at 64-64 with 18 seconds left. The Dragons had an opportunity to win it, but were stood up and just missed a last second shot attempt, taking the game into overtime.

In the extra period, Monroe's execution made the difference. The Mustangs opened overtime with a layup and two made free throws. Howard's shot making slowed down, and it was not enough to pull out a win. Despite the tough loss, the Dragons demonstrated resilience and composure against a higher-division opponent, matching Monroe possession for possession and forcing overtime through disciplined defense and timely shot-making. 

The Dragons will play their final home game on February 20 versus Montgomery College, starting at 7:00 PM. Bragging rights aren't the only thing on the line, as thanks to key losses around Region 20, the Dragons currently hold the number one seed in the Region 20 tournament at the moment.