WISE, Va. --- UVA Wise's Bradley Dean scored nine of his team's 15 points in overtime as the Highland Cavaliers edged visiting Tusculum University 86-78 Wednesday night at the Prior Convocation Center.

Dean converted a three-point play to cap a 5-0 run to start the extra period as UVA Wise never trailed in overtime as the Cavs (12-6, 9-5 SAC) secured its seventh straight home victory.

Tusculum center Akeem Odusipe had a career night as he scored a career-best 22 points to go along with a game-high 14 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. TU sophomore Bryce Jackson led all scorers with his 25 points as he went 9-of-16 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the free throw line. The freshmen twin duo of Taj and Denaj Kimber tallied nine and eight points, respectively, while rookie Jason Britton finished with seven points.

UVA Wise's Evan Ramsey led the home team with 20 points and 12 rebounds to go along with four assists and three blocked shots. Lav Cvetkovic and Patrick Shelley added 15 points each, while Dean finished with 11 points for the Cavaliers.

With the score tied 33-33 at halftime, Tusculum opened the second half with a 15-4 run as the Pioneers led 48-37 with 15:48 remaining in regulation following an Odusipe three-pointer. With TU up 52-41 the Cavs scored six in a row including a three-point play from Zy'ever Wingfield to make it a 52-47 game with 13:38 left. Malachi Hale was fouled while shooting a three and he would connect on his trio of free throws to stretch the lead to 55-47. Ramsey slammed home a dunk to make it 55-49 before two Denaj Kimber free throws and a bucket by Jackson, TU led by 10 (59-49) with 12:05 to go.

But a 16-0 run by UVA Wise erased the deficit and saw the Cavs go up 65-59 thanks to a Shelley three-point play with seven minutes left in regulation. Tusculum cut into the Wise as Odusipe converted a basket and Jackson made one of two free throws to make it a 65-62 game with 6:02 left. A steal and basket by Cvetkovic extended the lead to 67-62 but Odusipe responed with a layup at the 4:38 mark as TU trailed by three. That was quickly answered by Cvetkovic as he hit a layup to push the lead back out to five (69-64) with 4:23 on the scoreboard.

Jackson would score five in a row including two free throws and a triple with 2:29 remaining to knot the score at 69-69. UVA Wise came up empty on its next possession, but Dean would get a timely steal to set up a Ramsey jump shot to give the Cavs a 71-69 lead with 1:41 on the clock.

After a Tusculum timeout, Jacksond drained a floating jump shot to tie the game at 71-71 with 1:11 left. UVA Wise missed a layup with 47 seconds left as Tusculum has the chance to go ahead. But a shot clock violation turned the ball over with 15 seconds remaining. Dean would get off a jump shot just before the buzzer, but it was no good to send the game into overtime.

Both teams came up empty on its first two possessions to start the extra peroiod, thanks to a pair of missed shots and turnovers. After a steal by Kelly, he would be fouled and made both free throws to take a 73-71 lead. After a missed triple by Tusculum, Dean converted a three-point play as UVA Wise led 76-71 with 3:40 left in the frame. Taj Kimber made his pull-up jumper to trim the deficit to 76-73. Dean would hit a jumper to extend the lead to 78-73 with 2:33 on the scoreboard. After a Tusculum miss, Wise converted on its possession when Shelley canned a jumper as the lead swelled to 80-73 with 1:53 to go.

After a Tusculum timeout, Britton missed a jumper but an offensive board by Jackson gave Britton as second chance as he buried a three-pointer from the left wing as TU trailed 80-76 with 1:30 on the clock.

Shelley came through on the ensuing possession with his made jumper to make the score 82-76.  Odsupie would be fouled as he made both free throws with 56 seconds to go as TU trailed by four (82-78).

Tusculum would be unable to get any closer as Dean would make four free throws in the final 18 seconds to seal the victory as UVA Wise out-scored by Pioneers 15-7 in overtime.

UVA Wise finished the game shooting 48 percent from the field including 7-of-22 from three-point land (32%). Wise went 15-of-19 from the free throw line while going a perfect 7-of-7 in overtime. TU finished the game shooting 44 percent including 61 percent in the second period, but could only make 2-of-8 field goals in the five-minute extra period. Tusculum went 14-of-15 at the free throw stripe, and held a 38-36 edge on the boards.

Tusculum returns to action on Saturday when it hosts 18th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University for a 4 p.m. contest at Pioneer Arena.