NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Booty Butler's three-pointer with four seconds left in overtime gave Rowan a 76-75 win over Mary Washington in the opening game of the CNU/Holiday Inn Invitational. Ja'Zere Noel had 26 points and 10 rebounds to also lead Rowan (4-1).
 
The Profs will play top-ranked Christopher Newport on Sunday at 4 p.m. in a pre-determined matchup to close out the tournament.
 
Noel was 10-of-20 from the field and had four blocked shots with Marcellus Ross contributing 17 points, with four three-pointers. Butler had six points on the day with a pair of threes, including the final one of the game. Jamir Spivey had 10 rebounds while Khalif Meares picked up six steals.
 
Meares forced a 73-73 tie with :28 left in overtime as he hit a pair of free throws. Zack Blue answered for Mary Washington (3-2) with a drive to the basket at :09, and Butler responded for Rowan with a three from the right wing for the gamewinner.
 
Rowan led for the entire second half, and held a 16-point lead, 59-43, midway through the period. Mary Washington whittled away at the deficit and trailing by 11, 62-51, after Butler hit his first three of the game, the Eagles scored six straight to pull within 62-57 with 5:32 remaining.
 
In the final five minutes of regulation, Mary Washington erased a 64-57 Rowan lead and  sent it into the extra period, 67-67 on a layup by Kaden Bates with :06 to play.
 
The teams traded leads in the first half with Rowan holding a 32-26 advantage at halftime.
 
Despite going 0-for-12 from three-point range in the game, Mary Washington put together a 15-for-30 shooting effort in the second half to help the comeback. Rowan shot 37 percent in the game and hit just 28 percent of its long-range attempts.