Blue Devils Top Monmouth 66-44 on Thursday Night at Home

Junior Markeys Deans scored 16 points, grabbed eight boards and dished out six assists as the Central Connecticut State University men's basketball team topped Monmouth 66-44 on Thursday night in New Britain. Sophomore Chris Baskerville added a career-high 16 points and senior Joe Seymore scored 15 as the Blue Devils improve to 6-14 overall and 3-6 in Northeast Conference play. Central returns to action on Saturday hosting Fairleigh Dickinson at 1 p.m.

The Blue Devils held the Hawks to just 15-of-53 shooting in the game, and they made only 1-of-17 from three. The 28.3 percent shooting by Monmouth was a low for a Blue Devil opponent all season. The Hawks had only two assists in the game.

Central had assists on an amazing 22 out of 25 total baskets in the game, including a career-high nine by freshman Devan Bailey. Deans added six and junior Shemik Thompson had five for Central. They had assists on 12 of 13 total baskets after halftime.

The Blue Devils made 13-of-23 from the floor in the second half, good for 56.5 percent. They made 25-of-50 in the game and hit on 7-of-16 threes.

Seymore led the Blue Devils from three-point land. He matched his career-high with five threes and finished with 15 points. He was one of four Blue Devils in double-figures. Thompson also added 12 points and had a team-high four steals.

The Blue Devils played the game without two of their top three scorers. Sophomore Robby Ptacek and junior David Simmons both missed the game with an injury.

Baskerville scored a career-high 16 points and had eight rebounds in the game. He was an impressive 7-of-8 from the floor and made a pair of free-throws. Seymore added seven rebounds in the win, as the Blue Devils outrebounded Monmouth 36-28, including 18-8 in the second half.

Deans has now scored in double-figures in six of his last eight games, and is averaging over 13 points per game during that stretch. He hit 2-of-3 from three on the night, and 6-of-13 from the floor. His six assists were a career-high.

Central returns to action on Saturday hosting Fairleigh Dickinson at 1 p.m. in Detrick Gym.