CHADRON, Neb. -- January 13, 2017 -- Chadron native Vonsinh Sayaloune led the game, his team, and his own personal best with 23 points Friday night in Chicoine Center as Chadron State College men's basketball hosted Westminster College for a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest.

He came just one bucket shy, however, of putting the Eagles (2-13, 2-9 RMAC) over the top on the scoreboard. His three-point attempt rattled in and out of the rim - twice, in fact - as the buzzer sounded to end regulation with the score tied 68-apiece.

The Griffins needed just one field goal in the extra five-minute period to establish a lead and ride out to the win on free throws, as the Eagles committed six last-minute turnovers in a 76-70 loss.

"We had some chances to put away the game," said head men's basketball coach Houston Reed, "but the shots didn't always fall exactly when we needed them to. Credit Westminster's defense for keeping us working hard for every point."

Eight men played for the Eagles, versus the Griffins' 11. However Bronte Corbray, a starter to begin the season, played limited minutes. Missing Friday evening was Michael Johnson, CSC's true freshman forward who led the team in scoring for three consecutive games in December.

The game was the third the Eagles have sent to overtime so far this season, after an overtime loss to Nebraska-Kearney at home and a win over UCCS. All three games have been at home in the Chicoine Center.

The Eagles went on an early 15-4 run, punctuated by a Leigh Saffin trey, and extended their lead to 12 points at 4:24 left in the first half following a dramatic dunk by Darius Polley.

The last four minutes of the half saw CSC hitting only 1-of-4, while WC heated up with 4-of-6 shooting from the field which included a pair of three-pointers. CSC led 30-25 at the break.

Sayaloune went on fire in the second half, hitting on six of his first seven shots from long range. That was part of an early Eagle surge which extended them back out to a 10-point lead.

Despite never leading in the 40 minutes of regulation, the Griffins shot a blistering 17-of-26 from the field in the second half and were able to claw their way back to a tie twice - once at 10:47 left in the game, and another at 0:26 on the clock on a timely dagger from the corner by WC's Mason Smith.

The Eagles had the last shot of the second period and Sayaloune's eighth attempt of the game from beyond the arc bounced three times on the rim before leaving the cylinder for good.

Sayaloune's two foul shots at 3:04 in the overtime period were the Eagles' only other points they would score. They did not get a field goal shot attempt off until 10 seconds remaining.

Saturday is an off day on the Eagles' calendar with no games scheduled. They are on the road next weekend at Adams State and Fort Lewis, before returning for their next game in Chicoine on Friday, January 27. That date, versus CSU-Pueblo is marked as the annual Big White Out game.