Men’s Basketball Comes Up Short in GNAC Battle with Albertus
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Albertus Magnus | 41 | 46 | 87 |
|
Mitchell | 36 | 38 | 74 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College men's basketball team battled through multiple lead changes but ultimately fell to Albertus Magnus College, 87–74, in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play Wednesday evening at the Yarnall Athletic Center.
Mitchell trailed 41–36 at halftime after shooting 48.5 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes. Junior Troy Butler (Manchester, N.H.) paced the Mariners early with 12 first-half points, including a pair of three-pointers during a run that briefly gave Mitchell a 20–16 advantage midway through the first half.
Albertus responded late in the half with back-to-back transition buckets from Ta'zhon Daniels in the final minute to extend its lead to five at the break.
Mitchell reclaimed a 47–45 lead at the 16:21 mark on a pull-up jumper from Butler and later tied the game at 60–60 following a three-point play by freshman Zaveyn Tate (Bristol, Conn.) with 10:25 remaining.
The turning point came shortly after. Albertus answered with a 10–2 run, capped by a free throw from DJ Victory, pushing the Falcons ahead 70–62 with 7:20 left. Mitchell was unable to fully recover, as Albertus converted 16-of-20 free throws in the second half and extended its lead to as many as 15 in the closing minutes.
Sophomore Abdul Mansaray (Jacksonville, Fla.) led Mitchell with 24 points on 11-of-19 shooting, scoring 19 in the second half. Butler added 20 points, while senior Brandon Lee (Stockton, Calif.) recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Mitchell shot 52.5 percent from the field for the game and held a 52–44 edge in points in the paint, but Albertus capitalized on transition opportunities, outscoring the Mariners 29–7 in fast-break points and finishing 24-of-36 at the free-throw line.
Daniels paced the Falcons with 24 points, four assists, and four steals, while Ray Ford Jr. added 20 points, seven boards, and three assists in the win.
The Mariners (7–15, 3–7 GNAC) will look to get back into the win column on Friday, February 13, when they travel for a GNAC showdown with Emmanuel College, with tip-off slated for 4:30 p.m.
