MBB Holds On for OT Win Over Lesley

NEW LONDON, Conn. - The Mitchell College men's basketball team kept its postseason hopes alive with a wild 87-83 overtime victory over Lesley University on Tuesday night at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

The Mariners (4-17 overall, 3-9 NECC) shot a season-high 65 percent for the game and finished 7-for-12 from outside the arc. Three Mitchell players scored in double figures led by 25 points from senior Mike DePaolo. Jesus Trejo led all scorers with 32 points and added a game-high 13 rebounds for Lesley (7-16 overall, 4-8 NECC).

The second half was closely contested the entire 20 minutes. With the score tied at 35-35 at the break, Mitchell opened the stanza with a 9-1 run to take its biggest lead at 44-36 just three minutes in. DePaolo contributed five points during the stretch while sophomore Julio Contreras provided a pair of jumpers.

Lesley quickly cut into the deficit behind the play of Trejo, who netted 19 points in the second half. Trailing by eight with 14:19 to go, the Lynx reeled off a 10-3 run to cut the deficit to 51-50 with 11:23 remaining. Trejo and Jonathan Cruz each scored four points during the run to pull Lesley back into the game, though Mitchell kept a slim lead for the majority of regulation.

The Lynx finally pulled even at 68-68 with 3:27 to play in the half on a pair of free throws by John Sanchez. Neither team backed down in the final moments of regulation, as 10 of the last 14 possessions of the half yielded points.

Mitchell pulled back ahead behind a three-pointer by DePaolo, but Trejo answered with a bucket on the other end to keep the Lynx close. The teams traded baskets until the final minute, and Lesley forced a turnover and then took its first lead of the half at 76-75 on a layup by Cruz with 12 seconds to play.

The Mariners gave the ball to DePaolo on their final possession of regulation, and he drove the lane and drew a foul with six seconds to go. After missing the first free throw, he buried the second to tie the game at 76-76. Lesley gave the ball to Sanchez for the win, but he went the length of the floor and put up a wild shot at the buzzer that failed to draw iron.

In overtime, Trejo gave the Lynx an early edge with a layup to start the period. Sophomore John Patterson answered for the Mariners on the other end, and then junior Drew Norris buried a turnaround jumper to give Mitchell back the lead. Trejo later tied the game at 83-83 with 1:14 to go, but it would be Lesley's final points of the contest.

DePaolo put the Mariners ahead for good with a jumper with 26 ticks remaining, and Patterson had a chance to ice the game at the line with nine seconds to play. He missed the front end of a one-and-one, but sophomore Alex Vess was there for the board. Vess was quickly fouled and made one of two from the line to put the Mariners up by three.

Sanchez was fouled on the ensuing inbounds, giving Lesley life with 5.1 seconds remaining in the overtime period. He was 8-for-8 at the line for the game when he stepped up to the stripe, but his first shot kicked off the rim. Sanchez then missed the second free throw intentionally, and Patterson grabbed the rebound and sealed the win by making one of two from the line after he was fouled.

Trejo shot 14-for-20 from the floor and pulled down eight offensive rebounds to pace the Lesley attack. Sanchez finished with 16 points and six assists while Cruz pitched in with nine points and five assists.

DePaolo scored 18 of his 25 points after the break and finished 4-for-6 from downtown. Contreras and Norris each pitched in with 16 points while junior Tyler Blier added nine. Contreras also handed out a game-high seven assists in the victory.

Mitchell will next play at Daniel Webster College on Thursday, February 18 at 7 p.m. Lesley is back in action on Thursday at Southern Vermont College at 7 p.m.