JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln men's basketball team had a chance to win with just under five seconds remaining, but a layup attempt bounced off the rim and allowed Truman State to escape with a 72-71 win on Saturday afternoon (Dec. 26).

Anthony Virdure scored a game-high 28 points and Jaylon Smith had his third double-double of the year, tallying 20 points and 10 rebounds. The duo helped Lincoln rally from a 13-point deficit with 4:44 remaining, beginning with a trey by Smith. Virdure later completed an old-fashioned three-point play to pull LU to within 70-65, and buckets by Virdure and O'Shai Clark pulled the Blue Tigers to within one of the Bulldogs.

Truman State (5-1) hit a pair of free throws to go back up by three, and Lincoln (4-2) misses a pair of shot from the charity stripe on the ensuing possession. That ended up being a big factor in the game, as Truman State was 10-for-12 from the line while the Blue Tigers were 16-for-24.

With 30 seconds remaining, Richie Lewis knocked the ball out of a Bulldog player's hand, and Virdure ran down for a layup to bring LU to within 72-71. Lincoln was forced to foul, but on the first shot of a one-and-one, Truman State's shot bounced off the front of the rim. The Bulldogs tried to force a turnover on Lincoln's possession, but after going to the replay monitor, the officials ruled it was Lincoln's ball. With 4.9 seconds remaining, Lincoln in-bounded the ball, and Virdure went up for a layup. The ball bounced off the rim, Truman State came down with the board and time expired on Lincoln's 2016-17 home opener.

Virdure had four rebounds to go with two assists and a pair of steals while Smith finished with three steals and three assists. Lewis added nine points, five steals, three boards and an assist while Clark and Maurice Mason each scored six points. Clark also had three boards, a block and a steal. Mason, meanwhile, grabbed two rebounds.

Truman State shot .473 for the game and .500 from three, making 10 total baskets from beyond the arc. Lincoln shot .455 overall, but made just five of its 17 three-point attempts (.294). The Bulldogs held a 33-27 edge in rebounding, but Lincoln forced TSU into 20 turnovers while committing 15.

Rod Ollison closed out the scoring with a dunk and contributed two rebounds, one assists and a steal. Tacourrus Mattox also had a pair of rebounds to go with an assist, and Darrius Spencer added a steal.

Lincoln will remain at home for its next contest, as the Blue Tigers host Robert Morris-Springfield on Tuesday (Nov. 29) at 7:00 p.m. CST.