Mariners Fall to Becker in NECC Road Match-up, 83-69
Leicester, Mass.- Becker College defeated Mitchell College 83-69 in New England Collegiate Conference men's basketball action.
In the first half, Becker and Mitchell exchanged the lead on six different occasions. After Mike DePaolo (Asbury, NJ) forced a turnover, Eric Murray (Bridgeport, Conn.) scored a layup, putting Mitchell ahead by six with just over twelve minutes remaining in the first half. The Mariners extended their lead to seven, before the Hawks went on a 6-0 run. The two teams went scoreless for the next two minutes, before Travis Suber (Springfield, Mass.) hit a jumper, putting Becker ahead by one. Becker had a four point lead, before Mitchell went on a 12-4 run to close the half.
The second half started out much like the first, as Becker and Mitchell exchanged the lead three times in the first two minutes. Becker jumped ahead by as much as eight, only to have the Mariners go on a 6-0 run of their own. Becker held a slim two point lead until Travis Suber and Terrance Favors (Boston, Mass.) took over the game for the Hawks. The duo combined for twenty nine of the Hawks fifty one second half points. Drew Schroll (Portland, Conn.) came off the bench and scored five crucial points. Schroll drove to hole, hitting a jumper while being fouled, to set up a three point play. After Rajai Leggett (New Haven, Conn.) pulled down one of his nine rebounds, Schroll scored a layup, putting the Hawks ahead by eleven. The Mariners never recovered, as the Hawks soared to their third straight win.
Mitchell finished the game with three players in double figures. Eric Murray shot fifty percent from the field, leading the Mariners with twenty five points. Jenel Russell (East Hampton, NY) scored nineteen points and Matt Binder (Milford, Conn.) added ten points in a losing effort. The Mariners fell to 8-16 overall and 4-9 in the NECC.
NECC Player of the Week Travis Suber led all scorers with thirty six points. Rajai Leggett added twelve points to help carry the Hawks scoring attack. Trey Jacobs (Lexington Park, MD) chipped in with ten rebounds in a winning effort.
