Box Score After a season of excruciating losses a year ago, newcomer Houston Jones scored at the buzzer to give the Newberry College Wolves men's basketball team a thrilling 100-98 double over Emmanuel College (Ga.) in the season opener at the Conference Challenge Tournament at Anderson.

Jones scored just seven points all game, but he made them count as his clutch 3-point basket with six seconds left in the first overtime tied the game at 85 to force the second extra period.

Jones heroics were made possible by the incredible game from senior forward Drake Downs who scored a career-best 34 points and grabbed 15 rebounds to pace the Wolves offense. 

Redshirt freshman Kayzzin McDowell came off the bench to scored 19 points in his first collegiate game while coming up with three steals and dishing out two assists, Malakhi Stremlow added 15 points and Drew Robinson chipped in with 13 points, four assists and two steals. 

In a game that featured 82 free throws, Newberry converted 36 of 46 for just over 78 percent with Downs making 16 of 20 while Stremlow (8-8), Robinson (6-6), McDowell (2-2) and AJ Demirov combed to convert on all 18 of their attempts.

Newberry trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half (36-23) and were down 36-27 at halftime.  The Wolves shot just 33 percent from the floor (9-27) in the first half including 2-of-14 from 3-point territory.

The Lions built their lead to a game-high 14 points, 51-37 six minutes into the second half.

But Newberry methodically closed the gap, grabbing their first lead of the game with 1:55 left in regulation, 71-70 on a layup by McDowell. 

McDowell made two more free throws with 31 seconds left to give Newberry a 73-71 lead, but Emmanuel responded with two free throws of their own 10 seconds later to send the game into the first overtime.

After Robinson made two free throws early in the first overtime period to give the Wolves just their third lead of the game, Emmanuel went on an 8-2 run to grab an 81-77 lead with 1:50 left in overtime. 

But Robinson made two free throws, and McDowell made a 3-point basket with one minute remaining to give the Wolves an 82-81 lead.

The Lions then ran off four straight points to regain the lead at 85-82 setting up Jones first heroic shot.  

Newberry led by as many as three points on two different occasions in the second overtime until Emmanuel tied the game with a pair of free throws with 17 seconds remaining.

The Wolves called a timeout, Makhi Rivers missed a jump shot from the corner, but Jones grabbed the rebound in the lane and laid the game winner off the backboard and in at the buzzer for the victory.

Last season the Wolves dropped six games by four points or less.

Newberry returns to action Saturday afternoon when they face Erskine in game two of the Conference Challenge Tournament in Anderson.