Penn loses in OT as 5 suspended players are reinstated

NEW YORK - In a wild overtime game, which was back and forth throughout, Wagner topped Penn 68-63 at the Spiro Sports Center.

Five formerly suspended players for Penn, including captain Miles Cartwright, were reinstated for Saturday's game, although leading scorer Fran Dougherty was out with an illness.

The Daily Pennsylvanian, Penn's student newspaper which reported Friday that the players were suspended for failing random drug tests, reported on Saturday that alcohol may have played a role in the failed drug tests.

Penn head coach Jerome Allen declined to comment on The Daily Pennsylvanian's report.

The Seahawks (6-5) took the lead on the first possession of overtime and never gave it up. The Quakers had a chance but Steve Rennard missed a three-pointer with 34 seconds left. Kenny Ortiz made six free throws in the last 20 seconds for the Seahawks.

The Quakers (2-9) had the ball with 36.8 seconds left in regulation and the score tied 54-54, but Cartwright let the clock run too long before missing a tough three.

Seahawks leading scorer Jonathon Williams missed the game. Cartwright led the Quakers with 19 points.

Penn led for the entire first half but fell behind early in the second half.

"We came out [in the second half] in awe of how we played in the first half and not really locked in," Allen said.

They did not regain a lead until there were just over three minutes left in the game, as the lead changed then hands 13 times through overtime.

On Dougherty's absence, Allen said: as an excuse for the loss.

"It's a team sport and all of the guys stepped up and gave us a chance at winning."