Blue Devils Top Red Flash on Thursday Night
Blue Devils will honor their senior class on Saturday afternoon
The Central Connecticut men's basketball team improved to 4-24 overall and 2-13 in Northeast Conference play with a 53-50 home win over St. Francis University on Thursday night. The game aired live on the CBS Sports Network.
Junior Brandon Peel posted his seventh double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds. It was his 10th game of the season with 10 or more rebounds and his third straight.
With the loss the Red Flash fall to 14-12 overall and 8-7 in league play. The win snaps a six-game losing streak for the Blue Devils and is the third home win this season. Central will finish the home portion of its schedule on Saturday hosting Sacred Heart at 3:30 p.m.
Central led 34-30 at the half after shooting 60 percent from the field and making 4-of-6 from three. Cumberlander had 12 on 5-of-7 shooting. Central also held a 16-12 advantage on the boards and defensively they held the Red Flash to 11-of-29 from the field, good for 37.9 percent.
The Blue Devils had 12 assists on 15 baskets as Cumberlander and classmate Matt Mobley each had four assists. Peel had 11 points and nine boards in the half.
In the second half the lead reached 11 at 46-35 after a pair of Drakeford free-throws with 11:56 to play in the game. The Red Flash answered with a quick 6-0 run to cut the lead to five as the Blue Devils went almost five minutes without a point.
Central stretched the lead back to seven, 50-43, with 4:56 to play. Up 50-46, senior Faronte Drakeford hit a big jumper to push the lead back to six with under 2:30 on the clock.
The Blue Devils forced back-to-back turnovers by the Red Flash cut couldn't capitalize on the offensive end of the floor. The Red Flash cut it to 52-48 with 21.9 seconds left. Central turned it over against the St. Francis press and the Red Flash got the ball with 16.6 on the clock, but Cumberlander came up with a big steal on the next possession and Drakeford hit one free-throw to help seal the win.
The Red Flash had a chance with .9 seconds on the clock but a three attempt came up short and the Blue Devils picked up their second conference win of the season.
Central will finish the home portion of its schedule on Saturday afternoon hosting Sacred Heart at 3:30 p.m. in Detrick Gym. Prior to the game the Senior Class of 2015 will be honored as they play for the final time at home in their careers.