The University of Maryland Eastern Shore picked up its second win of the young 2023-2024 basketball season and it was a big one, taking down a solid Ivy League team.
MDES came up with an 83-80 overtime win over Penn, a program that was fresh off a win over no. 21 Villanova. Head coach Jason Crafton put the win into perspective after the game.
“This was an incredible moment for us and this may have been the biggest win I have been a part of here as the head coach,” Crafton said. “I am proud of our guys and everything they have fought through to get to this point. They deserve all the credit and I am so happy we were able to deliver a victory tonight.”
Penn led by as many as seven in the first half, but Eastern Shore battled back and led 32-31 at halftime. The game was nip-and-tuck for the entire second half, and a 3-pointer by MDES in the final seconds sent it into overtime. Elijah Wilson hit that 3-pointer and what would be the game-winner with .9 seconds remaining in overtime.
Maryland Eastern Shore made some noise last season when it went on the road and knocked off Temple. It would go on to finish the season with an 18-13 record, one of the best in Division I school history. Many of those players are no longer with the program, but Jason Crafton and his team continue to show that gone are the days of penciling in a win over Eastern Shore.
“We continue to get better. To be able to get a win against a quality program shows what we are capable off and where we are as a team. We challenged each player to stay within their roles and doing what they do best,” Crafton said. “Guys like Troy and Chace did a great job tonight while Elijah stepped in and made the big shots when his number was called. As we move forward, we will look towards another tough game at Notre Dame and what we can do to compete and try to come out with another win.”