Best Virginia’s WVU alumni will add a unique edition to its collegiate rivalry against Pitt’s alumni on Monday night, but first, Penn State’s Happy Valley Hoopers pulled off an upset to meet the winner there.

The Pittsburgh Regional’s top seed, the Stars of Storrs, primarily consisting of UConn alumni, took on Penn State’s alumni team the Happy Valley Hoopers and fell.

Quarter 1

The Stars of Storrs get fouled then score off the inbound pass for the first points of the game. Happy Valley matches it before the former Huskies score again on the other end for a 4-2 lead and three straight scoring possessions to start the first.

After Samuel Sessoms, Happy Valley’s leading scorer in the first round, knocks down two free throws to tie it up, the Stars of Storrs score on the other end in the form of a Seth Maxwell tip off an RJ Cole miss. Curtis Jones matches it for Happy Valley, but Ryan Boatright helps the Stars of Storrs pull ahead with the game’s first three.

Sessoms scores from inside the arc before Rodney Purvis and Myreon Jones trade threes. With a lot of scoring early, the Stars of Storrs lead 12-11.

After a steal and transition bucket for the former Huskies, Happy Valley slows the pace to eventually earn a three-point opportunity at the top of the key for Trent Buttrick, who banks in the shot to tie the score. Both teams are playing scrappy entering the media timeout with 3:45 remaining.

TJ Maston fights inside after the timeout for two. He tries to draw contact but does not. Happy Valley tries to get contact as well on the next possession but ends up with a jump ball and missed three off the inbound pass. The Stars of Storrs take advantage with a three to go up 18-14.

Myreon Jones hits a deep statement three off the right wing to close the scoring gap. Sessoms cuts inside through the other side to take a Happy Valley lead before it is matched with a pull-up two by Maston. Daniels and Maston match buckets as well as the Happy Valley Hoopers and Stars of Storrs are trading buckets to end the quarter.

Izaiah Brockington’s three is the final field goal of the period, as the Stars of Storrs get charged with a shot-clock violation on the next possession, and Happy Valley cannot score with two seconds left. The Happy Valley Hoopers are leading 24-22.

Quarter 2

UConn’s alumni fail to score on their first possession, and despite two regained possessions and an offensive rebound, Penn State’s do the same.

Jerome Dyson starts the second quarter scoring by drawing contact on a right-handed layup attempt. He misses but knocks down both free throws. Happy Valley makes two stops on the other end as Curtis Jones and Izaiah Brockington both get to the lane in transition to extend the Happy Valley lead to eight points.

Brockington makes his free throw attempt after the timeout for a three-point play off his layup. Happy Valley makes another stop before Curtis Jones finds Greg Lee, who hits a three in the left corner. Happy Valley leads 34-22.

A messy possession ends in a pass bouncing off Elijah Thomas’s head, but Lee misses the three-point attempt, slowing Happy Valley’s momentum for the first time this quarter.

Lee gets a free throw before the Stars of Storrs get their first points of the quarter. Lee hits a three on the other end before Thomas makes another shot for the Stars. He is fouled but misses the free throw, and the former Huskies do not score off the offensive rebound by RJ Cole.

Cole and Myreon Jones both get layups before Ryan Boatright fouls to send Happy Valley to the bonus and trigger a media timeout at 3:13 left in the half. Happy Valley leads 40-28.

Happy Valley gets two John Harrar free throws followed by a pair of back-to-back buckets from Myreon and Curtis Jones respectively. The Stars of Storrs cannot convert on an alley-oop attempt, and Harrar’s offensive rebound leads to a three-point play opportunity as the Penn State alumni go up 20.

Joey Calcaterra gets a three for the former Huskies to get within 20, and his points become the last of the half.

The Happy Valley Hoopers lead the Stars of Storrs 49-31 at the half.

Quarter 3

Greg Lee makes his first shot of the half, a three, to show Happy Valley’s momentum did not stop at halftime. Ryan Boatright gets fouled for UConn’s alumni and makes two free throws.

Lee makes another three, which the Stars of Storrs exchange for two once again. Myreon Jones’ three is matched, though, by Boatright’s own on the other end.

Curtis Jones gets his first points of the half for eight total on the night. Elijah Thomas and Ryan Boatright get a pair of baskets for the Stars of Storrs before a Greg Lee over-the-back foul allows another three from Boatright. The Stars of Storrs have cut the Hoopers’ lead to 14.

Lee matches Boatright’s three with his third of the half. He is now 5-for-7 from long range and is Happy Valley’s top scorer with 16. Last game’s leading scorer, Sessoms, makes a three himself shortly after. After a Harrar basket inside, Happy Valley leads 68-51 ahead of the media timeout.

Maston and Sessoms trade baskets as both teams struggle to score over defense for several possessions. The pair trade baskets again, but Sessoms gets the advantage by making a three.

RJ Cole gets one inside to challenge Sessoms, but the 6-footer is hot late in the third quarter. He makes another two to put Happy Valley at 75 points to the Stars of Storrs’ 57.

In the quarter’s final minute, Sessoms misses a three which is rebounded by his teammate Qudus Wahab. Wahab is fouled and makes both free throws. Calcaterra gets the last Stars of Storrs points off an inbound pass, but Sessoms matches it from inside the arc as the buzzer sounds.

The Happy Valley Hoopers lead the Stars of Storrs 79-59 five minutes away from the target score elim ending.

Quarter 4

RJ Cole makes a three before Maston sends Qudus Wahab to the line. Wahab misses both, and the Stars of Storrs regain possession with a minute down in the fourth.

Boatright turns the ball over but makes up for it with a three to cut the Hoopers’ lead to 14 and force a timeout.

Harrar gets a pair of baskets out of the break, including a dunk. His energy offensively and with strong defensive rebounds propels the Hoopers’ momentum as the elim ending approaches.

Jeff Adrien misses the second of two free throws, but Seth Maxwell grabs the offensive board to reset for a play, which ends in a Maxwell layup. Harrar matches it. The Hoopers force a three-point miss from Purvis then watch the clock go to 4:00 before calling a timeout to trigger the elim ending.

The Happy Valley Hoopers lead 85-69. The target score for the game is set at 93 points.

Elim Ending

Rodney Purvis scores first in the untimed period. Stops for both teams follow before Purvis finds Maston, who finishes through contact for a three-point play.

Greg Lee makes a three after an over-the-back foul by Maston resets the play for Happy Valley.

Boatright assists to Maston again before RJ Cole hits a three to bring the UConn alumni within 10.

Another Happy Valley three, this one by Myreon Jones, brings the Penn State alumni just two from winning.

Greg Lee makes the game-winning three from the right wing to send the Happy Valley Hoopers to the finals of the Pittsburgh Regional.

The Happy Valley Hoopers defeat the Stars of Storrs 94-83.

Photo from The Basketball Tournament