Men's Basketball Has Win Streak Ended at Mercyhurst
The Central Connecticut State University men's basketball team had its four-game NEC win streak snapped with a 79-61 setback at Mercyhurst on Monday. The Blue Devils had four players in double-figures but never led in the contest as the Lakers led wire-to-wire.
Darin Smith, Jr. had a team-high 15 points, while Melo Sanchez and Max Frazier each added 12 points. Jay Rodgers finished with 11 points and eight assists. Central shot 22-of-60 (.367) overall and was 5-of-22 (.227) from three-point range. CCSU converted 12-of-15 foul shots.
Bernie Blunt and Jake Lemelman each finished with 20 points for the Lakers. Mercyhurst shot 55.0 percent from the field overall and was 9-of-17 (.529) from the arc, while going 4-of-4 at the foul line.
GAME INFORMATION | BOX SCORE
Score: CCSU 61, MERCYHURST 79
Records: CCSU (10-7, 4-2 NEC), Mercyhurst (8-11, 3-3 NEC)
Location: Mercyhurst Athletic Center | Erie, PA
KEY MOMENTS
- Mercyhurst would get off to a hot start, scoring 11 unanswered points to take a 20-9 lead and force a CCSU timeout at the 11:51 mark. Max Frazier tied the game 9-9 on a layup before Jake Lemelman hit a three-pointer to open the run. A Kaden Fuhrman layup pushed the lead to 20-9 before Central took a timeout.
- Jay Rodgers would momentarily stem the run with a three-pointer, but the Lakers would continue to click offensively. They would outscore the Blue Devils, 21-5, over a span of nine-plus minutes. A three-point play by Melo Sanchez with 6:30 to go in the half would end a run of 10 straight points and cut the deficit to 30-15. The margin would balloon to as much as 36-17 with 5:15 to play in the opening half.
- CCSU would chip away at the deficit with a 7-0 run late in the opening period. A layup by Sanchez was followed by a three-pointer by Darin Smith, Jr. before a Sanchez steal led to a layup for Daniel James to make it 40-28. The Lakers would end the run with a jumper to take a 42-28 lead into the break.
- A three-pointer by Rodgers in the opening minutes of the second half would pull Central within 44-33, but Mercyhurst would answer with a three of its own. The Lakers would then proceed to build its largest lead of the afternoon with a 7-0 spurt. Bernie Blunt would make it 57-37 with 15:21 to play. The Blue Devils would not get closer than 73-59 the rest of the way.
NUMBER TO KNOW
42 – The Blue Devils allowed 42 points in the first half, the most they've allowed in the first half in NEC play this season.
NOTES
- Frazier finished with a team-high seven rebounds, while shooting 6-of-7 from the field.
- Rodgers dished out at least five assists in a game for the 15th time this season.
- Central's 36.7 percent shooting was its lowest mark since shooting 33.3 percent at Northeastern on Dec. 7
- Ashton Reynolds earned his first career start for CCSU and played 22 minutes.
- CCSU is 2-1 all-time against Mercyhurst.
UP NEXT
- The Blue Devils will host FDU on Friday night.
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