Big Second Half Leads Rider to Win Over Men's Hoops

The Central Connecticut men's basketball team dropped to 0-7 to begin the 2014-15 season with a 69-56 loss on the road at Rider on Wednesday night.  Central led by five at the half, 24-19, but a 20-2 Rider run to begin the second half helped the home team move to 3-5 overall on the season.

Rider's run would put them up by as many 16 in the second half, and the Blue Devils could get no closer than eight the rest of the way.  Rider scored 50 second half points after putting up only 19 in the first half.  They were 21-of-36 from the field and hit six threes in the period.  They outscored Central 50-32 after halftime.

Sophomore Matt Mobley led the way for the Blue Devils with 22 points, his fourth 20+ point game of the season.  Senior Faronte Drakeford had 17 points and nine rebounds in the loss. 

Central led 24-19 after a frantic first half that saw 23 combined turnovers and seven steals from the Blue Devils.  Freshman Kevin Seymour had three steals before halftime and Mobley added two.  Mobley had 10 points at the half, including a pair of dunks. 

The beginning of the first half was sloppy for both teams, and the game was tied 9-9 before Central took control with a 6-0 run to lead 15-9 with just over eight minutes left in the half.  A three point play from Mobley and a three from Seymour fueled the run.  Mobley would score seven straight points for the Blue Devils as they led 22-19 before a final bucket from Drakeford before halftime to make the lead five for Central.

Neither team shot well before halftime.  Central was 10-of-26 and 2-of-7 from three.  Rider was 9-of-28 and just 1-of-9 from three.  The Broncs turned the ball over 12 times.

Rider came out in the second half and scored the first 13 points of the half and 20 of the first 22 to take a 39-26 lead with 12 minutes to play in the game.  With the lead at 14 Mobley hit his third three of the game to make it 47-36 with just under 10 minutes to play.

A driving layup from sophomore Khalen Cumberlander and a steal and a bucket from Drakeford cut it to 50-40 with 8:27 left.  The Blue Devils would get no closer than eight in the second half.  Every time the lead reached single digits the Broncs had an answer on the offensive end of the floor.  They shot 58 percent from the field in the second half, making 21-of-36 and 6-of-16 from three. 

The Broncs finished with a 40-27 edge in rebounds in the game.  Drakeford and junior Brandon Peel each had nine for the Blue Devils.  Peel added eight points.  Seymour had six assists and four steals to go along with three rebounds.

Mobley's 22 points came on 7-of-16 shooting and 4-of-8 from three.  Central was just 10-of-17 from the free-throw line in the loss, including some key misses in the second half with a chance to cut the Rider lead to six.   They finished the game with 18 turnovers.

The Blue Devils will play their eighth straight game away from home to open the 2014-15 season at Hartford on Saturday night at 7 p.m.  Central will then host UMBC next Wednesday night, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m. in Detrick Gym in their home opener.