Men Win Second Straight, Top Monmouth

The Central Connecticut men's basketball team won its second straight game, topping Monmouth 78-58 on the road on Thursday night.  With the victory the Blue Devils move to 9-11 overall and 5-4 in Northeast Conference play. 

The Hawks fall to 8-14 overall and 3-6 in league action with the loss.  The Blue Devils were led by sophomore Kyle Vinales who had a game-high 24 points.  He added five assists as the Blue Devils dished out 20 assists as a team and turned the ball over just 11 times.

Senior Joe Efese had a big night on the boards and on defense.  He finished the game with six points, nine rebounds and a season-high seven blocks, just one off his career-high.  Central had 11 blocks as a team as junior Matt Hunter had four.

Sophomore Adonis Burbage added 21 points in the win including five threes. It was his third 20 point game of the season.  Junior Matt Hunter had 14 points and nine rebounds in the balanced effort for CCSU.

The Blue Devils return to action on Saturday night at 7 p.m. on the road at Fairleigh Dickinson. 

The Blue Devils climbed out to a 13-5 lead behind nine quick points from Vinales.  Efese had four blocks in the first four minutes to lead the defense.

It was 38-24 after Vinales dished out his fourth assist of the game and Burbage and McMillan each hit a three.  The lead stretched to 45-26 after Burbage three, his third of the game, with 3:56 to play before halftime.

Central led 48-32 at the break after Hunter hit a three at the buzzer.  It was the seventh three of the half for the Blue Devils.  Central turned the ball over just once in the first half, and dished out 12 assists. 

Efese had five of the Blue Devils' seven blocks at halftime.  Vinales had 16 points.  The 48 points match the most in the first half for the Blue Devils this season.

In the second half, McMillan hit his second three in as many attempts to make it 54-40 after the Hawks had cut the lead to 11.  He ran his streak to 12-of-14 threes in the last four games. 

The Blue Devils turned the ball over five times in the first five minutes of the second half.  The Hawks cut the lead to 11 again, 54-43, with 13:35 to play.

A Vinales three, his second of the game, pushed it back to 60-45 and the Hawks would get no closer.  The lead was 16, 64-48, after a pair of buckets from Burbage.  It pushed his game total to 19.  Vinales hit his third three of the game to make it 71-52 with just over five minutes to play.

Vinales had 24 points, pushing his career total to 967 in 49 career games.  He added four rebounds in the win in 40 minutes.

The Blue Devils return to action on Saturday night at 7 p.m. on the road at Fairleigh Dickinson.   Fans can follow the game live on NEC Front Row and online at www.FoxSportsRadio1410.com.