RICHMOND, IND. – Manchester University began the second half of the 2015-16 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference campaign with a key road victory Saturday, Jan. 23.

The Spartans, improving their record to 9-8 overall and 6-4 in the conference, had to hold off a determined charge from the host Earlham College Quakers at EC's Athletics and Wellness Center in a 76-74 overtime final. The visitors appeared on the verge of taking charge in both halves, leading by as much as eight in the first 20 minutes and nine in the second frame, but the host side answered the call in both situations, eventually holding a 66-64 edge with only 26 seconds left in regulation.

From there, the crowd of nearly 500 in attendance was on the end of their seats. EC had a chance to salt the contest away to close regulation but converted on only one of two free throw attempts, leaving a successful lay-up by freshman guard Adrian Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind.) with three seconds left to send the game into overtime. MU continued an 8-0 run that started with Johnson's heroics to lead 72-66 with 3:04 to go in the extra session, but the Quakers, like they did throughout the afternoon, responded with an 8-1 stretch and led 74-73 with 1:41 left. Junior guard Chase Casteel (Monrovia, Ind.) took his turn in the spotlight with a critical three-point bucket for a 76-74 advantage. A missed jump shot and lay-up in the closing moments by the home team kept the score there.  

Johnson's regulation-tying lay-up was part of a huge afternoon for the freshman. He tossed in 33 points, behind 14-of-22 field goal shooting, to go with 10 assists for a double-double along with a team-high three steals. Senior forward Matt Brown (Hobart, Ind.) also ended in double-digits with 17 points due to a red-hot 70 percent effort from the field shooting-wise. Casteel, despite not turning in scoring double figures, played a key role with two three-pointers, including the eventual game-winner, as part of a six-point, seven-rebound day.

The Black and Gold, tied for fifth on the conference standings with Rose-Hulman, begin a two-game home stand Wednesday, Jan. 27. Franklin College comes to Stauffer-Wolfe Arena for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

NOTES: Johnson's stratospheric scoring run continued. He increased the double-digit streak to 10 straight contests by closing a sparkling 65-point week. The Indianapolis native also has a roll of three successive outings in which he's hit 10-or-more field goals, while the 33-point outburst was among the program's best single-game marks and the 10 assists were the most in a game since 2008-09 … The win concluded a season series sweep and marked the eighth victory in 11 tries for the Spartans since EC joined the league.