November 30, 2016
Men's Basketball Cruises to 82-61 Win at Maine
Six Blue Devils score in double-figures for team's largest winning margin since December 1, 2011.
The Central Connecticut men's basketball team used a balanced scoring effort to post an 82-61 win over Maine at the Cross Insurance Center. Senior Khalen Cumberlander led six Blue Devils in double-figures with 13 points. The win improved Central to 2-3 overall on the season, while Maine slipped to 2-5.
The 21-point margin of victory was the largest for CCSU since an 83-51 win at Bryant on December 1, 2011.
CCSU used an 8-2 run early in the first period to take the lead for good . Senior Tafari Whittingham broke a 13-all tie with a layup and following a Maine bucket, sophomores Austin Nehls and Eric Bowles hit back-to-back three-pointers to make it 21-15.
Central's defense would hold the Black Bears to one field goal over the final 8:25 of the opening half and extended its lead to double-digits. A layup by Bowles just before the halftime horn gave the Blue Devils their largest lead of the half at 41-24.
The Blue Devils would maintain a double-digit lead and did not allow the Black Bears to get any closer than 63-51 with just under nine minutes to play. Central would respond with nine unanswered points to push the lead to 72-51 on a jumper by freshman Tyson Batiste.
A three-pointer by Nehls gave CCSU its largest lead of the night at 78-55 and the teams would alternate field goals over the final two minutes for the final margin.
Cumberlander finished with 13 points and five assists, while junior Mustafa Jones, Nehls and Batiste all added 12 points. Batiste's career-high point total was complemented with five assists. Whittingham finished with 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench, while Bowles finished with a career-high 10 points. All told, Central had 10 players score in the contest.
It marked the first time since January 17, 2005, against Sacred Heart that six players finished in double-figures for CCSU.
CCSU hit its first eight shots and continued its hot shooting all night, finishing at 58.9 percent (33-of-56) overall. The Blue Devils went 10-of-14 (.714) from three-point range. Central had 20 assists as a team on 33 field goals.
Andrew Fleming finished with 20 points and eight rebounds to lead Maine. Ilker Er was the only other Black Bear in double-digits with 11 points.
Maine shot just 39.1 percent (28-of-64) overall and was 4-of-19 (21.1 percent) on three-pointers.
Central returns home to host Brown on Saturday, Dec. 3, in a 1:00 p.m. tip off at Detrick Gymnasium.
