Men’s Basketball Drops GNAC Showdown to Blue Jays
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Saint Joseph (Conn.) (11-6,4-0 Great Northeast) | 41 | 50 | 91 |
|
Mitchell (5-12,1-4 Great Northeast) | 37 | 45 | 82 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College men's basketball team came up short at home on Wednesday evening, falling 91–82 to the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) battle at the Yarnall Athletic Center.
The Mariners stayed within striking distance throughout, trailing just 41–37 at halftime, but USJ shot over 52 percent from the field and used balanced scoring to maintain control down the stretch.
Mitchell was led offensively by junior Troy Butler (Manchester, Conn.), who poured in a team-high 23 points on 9-of-20 shooting, knocking down three three-pointers while adding three assists and three steals in 34 minutes. Freshman Zaveyn Tate (Bristol, Conn.) provided a major spark off the bench, scoring a collegiate career-high 13 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting night while adding three blocks on the defensive end. Sophomore Adrian Alicea (Miami, Fla.) chipped in 12 points, hitting two three-pointers and going a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.
In the frontcourt, sophomore Abdul Mansaray (Jacksonville, Fla.) filled the stat sheet with 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, while freshman Jaxyn Beaudet (Groton, Conn.) added five rebounds and a block in the paint.
Mitchell finished the game shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line, keeping pressure on the visitors despite being outrebounded 39–29.
The Blue Jays were paced by Lence Altenor, who scored 25 points on 8-of-17 shooting, including four three-pointers, while Roel Figueroa added 18 points and Deivone Tanksley Jr. contributed 16 points and seven rebounds.
Mitchell cut the deficit to single digits multiple times in the second half, including trimming the margin to six points on a jumper by senior David Stallworth (Stockton, Calif.) with 6:29 remaining. The Blue Jays countered with a 7–1 run, however, extending their lead and sealing the victory.
The Mariners (5–11, 1–3 GNAC) will look to bounce back when they travel north for a GNAC showdown against New England College on Saturday, January 24, with tip-off scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
