Men's Basketball Wins at Maine; Sellers Earns First Career Victory
The Central Connecticut men's basketball team earned a 64-56 win over Maine at the Cross Insurance Center on Tuesday night for their first triumph of the season. The win was also the first career victory for CCSU head coach Patrick Sellers. The Blue Devils led throughout in putting together a strong 40-minute victory that featured four scorers in double-figures.
Junior Tre Mitchell led CCSU with 12 points, while freshmen Davonte Sweatman and Jayden Brown each added a career-high of 11 and 10 points, respectively. Junior Nigel Scantlebury was also in double-figures with 10 points. CCSU shot 23-of-51 (.451) from the field and went 13-of-16 (.813) at the foul line in the second half.
Stephane Ingo had 14 points and six rebounds to lead Maine. The Black Bears shot 17-of-43 (.395) overall and were just 2-of-14 (.143) from three-point range. Maine was 20-of-26 (.769) at the foul line and outrebounded Central, 33-26.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: CCSU 64, Maine 56
Records: CCSU (1-5, 0-0 NEC), MAINE (2-3, 0-0 America East)
Location: Cross Insurance Center | Bangor, ME
KEY MOMENTS
- CCSU got a three-pointer from Scantlebury on its first possession to open the game's scoring. Maine would get within a point, but the Blue Devils would maintain the lead. An 8-2 spurt late in the period, capped off by consecutive layups by Sweatman would make it 26-16 and a three-pointer by Joe Ostrowsky gave Central its largest lead of the period before a Maine field goal made it 31-21 at the intermission.
- After Maine got within 36-34, Central pushed its lead back to double-digits with 7:05 to play. The Blue Devils would outscore the Black Bears, 12-4, over a five-minute span and made it 48-38 after a Scantlebury layup.
- The Central lead would momentarily shrink to 57-50 with 1:47 to play, but the Blue Devils would convert 10-of-12 from the foul line down the stretch to seal the victory.
NUMBER TO KNOW
30 - The Blue Devils outscored Maine, 30-16, in the paint. Central was effective at getting to the rim all night and had 14 layups.
NOTES
- Maine leads the all-time series, 10-6, but CCSU has won back-to-back meetings on the Black Bears' home court.
- CCSU had four players in double-figures for the first time this season.
- Freshman Andre Snoddy grabbed a team-high six rebounds, while matching a personal-best with nine points.
- Scantlebury was 4-of-8 from the field and added a team-best four assists.
- Brown was 5-of-7 from the field and grabbed four rebounds in 19 minutes. It was just his second game of the year.
- Sweatman played 20 minutes and was 5-of-7 from the field.
- Junior Zach Newkirk had a career-high four steals.
UP NEXT
The Blue Devils host Fordham on Sunday for their first home game of the season.
