Late collapse hurts Buddies

Nov 23 2012 by Andy Newport, Paisley Daily Express

The St Mirren senior men suffered a painful lesson as they slumped to defeat against Glasgow University’s students.

Saints found themselves on the road once again as they travelled for their sixth away game in their last eight matches.

Thankfully, it wasn’t the longest trip through the Clyde Tunnel to the Kelvin Hall to take on the multi-national students of the Glasgow Uni team.

The first quarter had an all-too-familiar look to it as Saints controlled the tip-off but missed their first shot and then continued to squander good opportunities as they found themselves 10 points behind within three minutes.

The students were athletic and keen to jump on every ball and it soon paid off with control of the game.

Saints had their work cut out to stay in touch.

Nick Collins found his range and his 12 points helped Saints to 22 – still five behind the under-graduates at the end of the first period.

The second quarter had Saints pick up on defence in an effort to get back on top.

This paid off, winning the stanza at 16 –14 to be just three points behind as the half-time buzzer sounded.

The third quarter produced more of the same, with the students’ fitness telling as they kept themselves ahead.

Saints battled on and, with another 19 points, including 11 from Collins, they were just five adrift going into the last quarter.

The visitors’ experience and strength in depth began to tell as they clawed their way back to take a one-point lead at 70-69 with less than three minutes left.

Colin Railley and then Collins hit their shots as the students continued to score.

Thirteen seconds remained, with the scores at 74 each, when the home side bagged two baskets from the free-throw line to edge out a narrow lead and leave Saints in possession.

Good link-up play then allowed Railley to tee up Collins to level the scores right on the final buzzer.

The overtime decider started badly for the Paisley men as an early three-pointer for the uni team gave them an advantage they did not concede , eventually claiming the win by 87–82.

It was a disappointing result for Saints, which leaves them in seventh place in the National League standings – their worst position for five years at this stage of the season.