#5 Ohio State Tops CCSU on Saturday
Blue Devils return home on Tuesday at 7 p.m. vs. Hartford
The Central Connecticut men's basketball team dropped to 2-6 overall with a 74-56 loss on the road at #5 Ohio State on Saturday afternoon. Junior Faronte Drakeford led the offense with 12 points. Freshman Matt Mobley set a new career-high with 12 points in the loss. Ohio State improves to 7-0 on the season with the victory.
LaQuinton Ross led the Buckeyes with 23 points in the game.
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Central returns home on Tuesday night hosting Hartford beginning at 7 p.m.
Ohio State built a big lead early, leading 22-8 with 12:30 minutes left in the first half. But the Blue Devils responded, cutting the lead to five, 28-23, with a 15-6 run over the next seven minutes.
The Buckeyes quickly pushed the lead back to 16 but Central responded again before the half. The Blue Devils scored the final four points of the first half to cut the lead to 38-29 at the break. McMillan led Central with seven points but five Blue Devils had at least four in the first half. Central had a 17-13 rebound edge over the Buckeyes, with five Blue Devils registering at least two.
CCSU shot 52 percent from the field before halftime, hitting 13-of-25, including 12-of-19 inside of three point land.
Central stayed close for much of the second half before the Buckeyes pulled away in the final minutes for the victory. It was an eight point game, 47-39, with 15:04 on the clock in the second half. It was 49-41 before the Buckeyes scored 10 straight points to push the lead to 18 with 9:57 on the clock.
The Blue Devils would get no closer than 13 the rest of the way.
Central finished with a 29-28 edge in rebounding, including 10 offensive rebounds and 11 second chance points. Ohio State was just 4-of-17 from three in the game.
Drakeford finished the game with 12 points and five rebounds in 32 minutes of action. Mobley had 12, including 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. Senior Matt Hunter had nine points and six rebounds and junior Kyle Vinales had eight. Vinales added four assists but was just 4-of-12 from the field. Central had nine assists and 20 turnovers in the loss.
The Blue Devils shot 46 percent from the field in the game, but hit only 2-of-11 from three. they were 8-of-8 from the line, all coming from Mobley.
The Blue Devils are back in action at home on Tuesday night hosting Hartford beginning at 7 p.m. The game will be televised live on CPTV Sports, and fans can listen live on Fox Sports Radio 1410, ESPN Radio 1300 and online at www.iHeartRadio.com.