Strong Second Half Propels Men’s Basketball Past Regis
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Regis (Mass.) | 36 | 39 | 75 |
|
Mitchell | 37 | 48 | 85 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – Junior Eddie Volkerts (New London, Conn.) poured in 22 points to lead five players in double-figures scoring, helping push the Mitchell College men's basketball team past Regis College, 85-75, on Saturday afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) clash at the Yarnall Athletic Center.
Volkerts added 12 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block, notching his fourth double-double of the season. Senior Jaylyn Clardy (Pensacola, Fla.) finished with 19 points, including four baskets from beyond the arc, while chipping in six rebounds and four assists. Junior Brandon Lee (Stockton, Cali.) racked up 12 points and seven boards, while senior Robert Zirlis (Clinton, Conn.) tallied 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench, and senior Wilton Causey (Worcester, Mass.) had 10 points and seven rebounds of his own.
In a game that featured 12 ties and 17 lead changes, the Mariners carried a one-point lead into halftime. The Pride began the second half with a three ball by Gehrig Brynda to jump on top, 39-37, but back-to-back baskets by Volkerts and Lee put Mitchell back in the lead, 41-39. Regis knotted the score twice more over the ensuring minutes, and a three-point play by Russell Rau had the Pride up 46-43 with 16:14 on the clock. Volkerts followed with a pair of free throws, before a Regis basket bumped their lead back to three points with 15:24 remaining.
The Mariners took the lead for good on an Eddie Volkerts three-pointer at the 14:09 mark, before a 15-9 run followed which gave the home squad a 65-58 edge leading into a Regis timeout with just over eight minutes to play. The Pride got it to within five points on two occasions down the stretch, but the Mariners had an answer each time and were able to fend off a Regis comeback, building a lead which grew to as large as 10.
Russell Rau netted a game-high 34 points for Regis, shooting 12-22 from the floor. Dashon Smith Adams added 14 off the bench, while Aamyr Sullivan finished with seven points, five assists, five steals, and two rebounds.
Both Regis and Mitchell shot similar percentages, with the Mariners finishing 41.3% overall to 43.3% for the Pride. The Mariners held a large advantage in the paint, however, outrebounding Regis 53-26, while also forcing 16 turnovers.
The Mariners (10-5, 2-2 GNAC) return to the court on Tuesday, January 21, with a road GNAC showdown at Elms College. The Pride (5-10, 0-4 GNAC) play next at Norwich University on Tuesday, January 21.
