Wooster (29-3) advances to the “Final Four,” which will be played in Salem, Va., March 16-17, for the second time in school history. The Scots also reached the national semifinals in 2003, placing third.
In overtime, Wooster never trailed and Cooper accounted for nine of his team’s 13 points, including the first two, which broke an 81-81 tie. After a Tom Port (Avon Lake, Ohio / Avon Lake) free throw pushed the Scots’ lead to three, Cooper got to the line and sank both, making it a two-possession margin at the 2:43 mark (86-81).
Brockport State (26-6) then split a pair from the charity stripe for its first point of the extra session only to see Cooper respond by putting back his own miss for a lay-up and six-point advantage (88-82). Next, the Golden Eagles’ post Brandon Williams connected on a 3-pointer from the right wing, pulling within one possession (88-85).
Cooper had an answer again, this time hitting a runner in the lane on the Scots’ ensuing possession, but Brockport State standout Sherod Harris made a couple of free throws (90-87) to keep his squad in striking distance with 1:05 remaining.
The next possession turned out to be the key to the game, as with the shot clock winding down, Port was able to find a wide open Andy Van Horn (Loudonville, Ohio / Loudonville) underneath the basket, who converted the lay-up, his only points of the night, to make it 92-87.
Wooster’s defense held off the Golden Eagles, as Harris was unable to convert a driving lay-up on the following possession, and Cooper and Port each went 1-of-2 on free throws over the final :20.9 to seal the seven-point victory.
Both teams had chances near the end of regulation, but neither scored during the last 1:03. After Williams tied it 81-81, a Tim Vandervaart (North Canton, Ohio / Hoover) lay-up bounced on the rim several times before falling off, however, he got his own rebound and was fouled with :36.9 left. He couldn’t connect on either free throw, a common theme for the Scots, who made an uncharacteristic 64.7 percent (22-of-34).
Brockport State then ran the clock down and Harris got free for a 3-pointer at the top of the key. The shot hit off the rim, then the backboard, and eventually went out-of-bounds as the buzzer sounded.
In the second half, Wooster overcame a 12-point deficit (50-38) and took an 11-point lead (70-59) just past the midway point. Then, it was the Golden Eagles turn to rally, as they cut it down to four (73-69) and to three (79-76) before eventually tying it.
Brockport State shot 53.1 percent from the field (17-of-32) in taking a 44-33 halftime advantage.
Cooper ended up with 34 points – the second-highest total in his career – on 14-of-26 shooting from the floor. He also had three assists without a turnover and was named sectional MVP.
Also on the sectional all-tournament team was Port, who recorded a double-double for the second night in a row, this time going for 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Vandervaart added 17 points, while Brandon Johnson (Columbus, Ohio / Groveport Madison) and Devin Fulk (Newark, Ohio / Licking Valley) chipped in 13 and 10, respectively.
Harris paced the Golden Eagles with 26 points, but only 11 came after halftime, while Williams tallied 21 markers in the scorebook.
The Scots will play Amherst College in the semis. Game time and ticket info will be announced soon.