MONTREAL (August 6, 2018) – The Queen's men's basketball team kicked off their 2018-19 exhibition schedule with a 93-88 overtime win over the South Carolina State Bulldogs.

The matchup was held in Montreal's Champlain College and was the first of three exhibition games against U SPORTS opponents for the Bulldogs (Laval, Concordia).

GAME FLOW
Early foul trouble put the Gaels in a 47-42 deficit at the half, and the Bulldogs lead increased to 12 in the fourth quarter with just over seven minutes left to play. However, a late spark, led by fifth-year players Tanner and Jesse Graham (Kingston, Ont.), propelled the Gaels back into a 79-79 game and into overtime.

In the extra period, the Gaels took control. Their defence limited the Bulldogs to 2-11 shooting in the period as they outscored the Bulldogs 14-9 to take home their first exhibition win.

PIVOTAL PLAY
With 16 seconds remaining and the Gaels trailing by three, Tanner Graham hit a game-tying three-pointer. The defence then made a key stop with seconds left to ensure overtime.

BY THE NUMBERS
26 - Jesse Graham had a game-high 26 points while his brother Tanner was right behind him with 23 points. Tanner also recorded 11 rebounds for a double-double.
51% - The Gaels shot 51% from the field on Monday night and a solid 40% from three.

FINAL SAY
"It was a big-time win for the program, but it's not like we didn't expect it. We worked hard all summer and were prepared for what they were going to bring." – Harry Range (Carp, Ont.)

UP NEXT
The Gaels next exhibition game will be on September 25th. They will travel back to Montreal to take on the Concordia Stingers.