BROOKLYN -- Cooper Union came from behind in the final seconds, stealing a 41-40 victory over Pratt on senior day at the ARC.
After being honored in a pre-game ceremony, Cannoneers guard Sam Peterson scored eight points, including a late, clutch three-pointer that looked like it would be the game-winner before the Hawks prevailed.
The teams exchanged leads throughout the early going, with a Peterson layup and a 17-footer from the senior giving Pratt leads on two occasions late in the first. Cooper responded with a 6-0 run to go up 25-18, but a Jeff Chung-Hsiang buzzer-beating 18-footer brought Pratt to within 27-21 at halftime.
A pair of Grant Aarons free throws sent Cooper Union ahead 39-31 early in the second, but the Cannoneers nipped at the Hawks doorstep throughout the half. With leading scorer Ari Grant sidelined, Aaron Nininger came to life, as a pair of jumpers from the forward pulled Pratt to within two at 35-33 at the 5:25 mark. A Nininger layup on a feed from fellow forward Nicholas Lensander again made it a two-point game, 39-37 at the 2:00 mark, and Peterson hit what would potentially be the game-winner on the team's next possession.
After Cooper Union's Adal Anthony turned the ball over on an offensive foul, Peterson picked the most opportune time for his first three-pointer of the season. With a defender draping him, the senior rose and buried a three-pointer from the right wing, giving Pratt its first lead in over 25 minutes at 40-39 with 1:24 to play.
Over the next minute, Lensander and Peterson each missed a pair of free throws with a Nininger turnover in between, and the same culprit who intercepted his inbounds pass struck again in the closing seconds.
With the ball and coming out of a timeout with 20 seconds to play, Cooper's Anthony drove into the middle of the paint and banked home a running one-hander from straight ahead with four seconds left, delivering the game-winner in the Hawks shocking win.
Pratt freshman Mehmet Dognata, after a long pass, missed off to the left on a 35-foot three pointer just before the buzzer.
In a defensive battle in which the Hawks shot 27 percent and the Cannoneers shot 25 percent, Cooper Union outrebounded Pratt 35-31.
Grant led Pratt with 12 points in the loss.
The Cannoneers return to play on Tuesday at 7:30 at the ARC against The New School.
