Comeback Falls Short for Men’s Basketball in GNAC Clash with Dean
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dean College | 47 | 41 | 88 |
|
Mitchell | 27 | 59 | 86 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College men's basketball team mounted a dramatic second-half comeback, outscoring Dean College 59–41 after the break, but ultimately came up just short in an 88–86 setback in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action Tuesday night at the Yarnall Athletic Center.
After trailing 47–27 at halftime, the Mariners erupted behind aggressive defense and improved shooting, trimming a deficit that ballooned to as many as 24 points early in the second half. Mitchell shot 58.1 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes and knocked down five three-pointers as it worked its way back into contention.
Sophomore Abdul Mansaray (Jacksonville, Fla.) led all scorers with 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds for a double-double. Junior Troy Butler (Manchester, Conn.) added 17 points, including three three-pointers, while senior David Stallworth (Stockton, Calif.) chipped in 14 points and Brandon Lee (Stockton, Calif.) contributed 12. Freshman Zaveyn Tate (Bristol, Conn.) finished with eight points and eight rebounds, and Mitchell received 16 points from its bench.
Mitchell's surge gained traction midway through the half, sparked by back-to-back steals and transition baskets. A Butler three-pointer off a Tommy Daly assist cut the margin to nine with 8:17 remaining, and Stallworth later buried a three-pointer to make it 75–67 with just over seven minutes left. The Mariners continued to close the gap, eventually pulling within two in the final minute on a free throw by Tate.
With 26 seconds remaining, Dean's Naser Motley knocked down two free throws to push the Bulldogs' lead back to four. Mitchell had multiple late looks from the perimeter, and Mansaray converted a putback at the buzzer, but time expired before the Mariners could complete the comeback.
Dean shot 52.2 percent from the field and was led by Izayah Porter (20 points), Naser Motley (19), and Christian Yeates (18).
On the night, both teams shot better than 52 percent from the floor and under 40 percent from three-point range. Mitchell went 19-of-36 from the free-throw line, while Dean finished 14-of-22. The Bulldogs held a 38–29 rebounding edge, and both teams received 16 points from their respective benches.
The Mariners (6-14, 2-6 GNAC) will look to get back in the win column when they host Norwich University in GNAC action on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.
