Men's Basketball Overtaken by Mount St. Mary's Rally on Thursday

The Central Connecticut men's basketball had an eight-point lead in the second half wiped out by Mount St. Mary's and fell, 67-57, on Thursday night at Detrick Gymnasium. The Blue Devils used an aggressive defense to keep the Mountaineers in check until midway through the second half when a pair of Mount scoring runs overtook CCSU.

Central slips to 2-9 overall and 2-6 in NEC play, while MSM improves to 5-5 overall and 4-2 in the league.

CCSU built an eight-point lead early in the second half, but Mount would use an 11-2 run to take a one-point lead. After CCSU would regain a four-point lead with 8:35 to play, Mount St. Mary's would score 10 straight points to take the lead for good.

Junior Ian Krishnan had 12 points and sophomore Myles Baker added 12 points off the bench. Sophomore Jamir Reed grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to go with four assists. 

CCSU shot 22-of-59 (.373) overall and 6-of-23 (.261) from three-point range. The Blue Devils went 7-of-10 (.700) from the foul line, but just 1-of-2 after halftime.

Damian Chong Qui led Mount St. Mary's with 20 points. He scored 17 points in the second half. Josh Reaves (13), Malik Jefferson (12) and Mezie Offorum (10) also scored in double-figures. The Mountaineers shot 23-of-45 (.511) overall and were 9-of-19 (.474) from three-point range. The Mount was 12-of-17 (.706) from the foul line.

The teams will play again on Friday at 4:00 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 57, Mount St. Mary's 67
Records: CCSU (2-9, 2-6 NEC), MSM (5-5, 4-2 NEC)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS

• Central used an early 11-0 run to build a 16-10 lead. Following a three-pointer by junior Ian Krishnan and a layup by sophomore Xavier Wilson the Blue Devils took a six-point lead with 12:35 left in the half.
• Mount would tie the game at 18-18 before Central used its aggressive defense to build its largest lead of the half. Central would outscore MSM, 13-5 over an almost six-minute stretch to take a 31-23 lead. A three-pointer by junior Nigel Scantlebury and a jumper by junior Tre Mitchell pushed the lead to eight with 2:16 to go. Mount would get within three before a pair of foul shots by Scantlebury made it 33-28 at halftime. The Blue Devils made eight steals and forced 14 turnovers in the opening half.
• Mount would take a brief 39-38 lead following consective three-pointers by Mezie Offurum with 14:06 to go. A three-pointer by sophomore Myles Baker put CCSU back in front at 43-41. A layup by Krishnan would push the CCSU lead back to 47-43 with 8:35 to play.
• The Mount would responod with a run of 10 straight points over a three-minute stretch to build a 53-47 lead. Senior Stephane Ayangma would end the Central drought before Dakota Leffew hit a three-pointer to push the MSM lead to 56-49.
• Central would end the Mount St. Mary's surge with a three-pointer from sophomore Jamir Reed and a layup by sophomore Myles Baker to get within 58-54 with 3:11 to play. Following a Mount basket, Baker hit a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 60-57, but the Blue Devils would get no closer as the Mountaineers would score the final seven points of the contest. 

NUMBER TO KNOW

22 - Central forced 17 Mount turnovers that it converted into 22 points. However, after scoring 18 points off turnovers in the first half, CCSU only got four points off turnovers in the second.

NOTES

• Mount leads the all-time series, 24-22, and has won the last three meetings.
• Krishnan scored in double-figures for the first time since Dec. 16. He went 5-of-11 from the field and hit two three-pointers.
• Baker was playing for the first time since Dec. 9 at Fairleigh Dickinson. He has scored double-figures in two straight games.
• Reed has grabbed at least five rebounds in four of the last five games. He has seven boards in each of the last two games.
• The Blue Devils forced 17 turnovers, the second-most it has forced in a league game. Central turned over Bryant 19 times on Jan. 7.
• Junior Tre Mitchell had a career-high three steals.
• Junior Karrington Wallace finished with nine points (4-of-7 shooting) and five rebounds.
• Sophomore Greg Outlaw grabbed six rebounds.
• The CCSU bench accounted for 28 points. Central entered the game getting 28.8 points per game from its bench.
• Central suffered its first loss of the season when leading at halftime

UP NEXT

The teams will play again on Friday at 4:00 p.m.