Wheelock Tops Mitchell MBB

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College men's basketball team dropped an 81-69 final against Wheelock College on Saturday afternoon at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

Kyle Pierce led four Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 19 points and dished out five assists. Daniel Main finished with 17 points and became the second player in Wheelock's four-year history to score 1,000 career points. Bashir Hudson added 13 points and seven rebounds while Max Kaim chipped in with 11 points and five boards.

Freshmen Alex Del Rio and Chris Thomas paced the Mariners (1-13 overall, 0-5 NECC). Del Rio went 5-for-6 from beyond the arc to net a career-high 15 points while Thomas also notched career bests with 14 points and 11 rebounds for his first-ever double-double. Junior Julio Contreras also finished in double figures with 14 points and handed out six assists.

Wheelock (5-8 overall, 2-2 NECC) took its first lead at 4-2 on a jumper by Kaim just minutes into the contest and never trailed again. The Wildcats took control behind a 15-4 run that gave them a 22-10 lead with 8:29 remaining in the half. Main scored six points during the span and finished with 10 in the first half. Wheelock shot 50 percent from the field in the stanza and led 47-25 at the break.

Mitchell used the three-pointer to claw its way back into the game in the second half. Trailing 57-36 with 15:44 to go, the Mariners bombed their way back into the game from beyond the arc. Del Rio knocked down a pair of treys during the spurt while Contreras and junior Paul Jefferson each connected. Contreras' basket cut the margin to 64-52 with 9:26 remaining.

Main, who was 14 points shy of 1,000 coming into the game, reached the milestone with just over nine minutes to play. He took a pass on the left wing and drove baseline for a lay-up, but the ball was stripped from his hands on the way up. He quickly recovered and, after spinning into the paint, sunk a short jumper to the delight of the Wheelock faithful in the crowd.

Main's basket sparked an 8-0 run that put Wheelock back up by 20 following a free throw by Pierce with 7:06 to play. The Wildcats shot 45 percent for the game and outscored the Mariners 21-9 at the free throw line. Pierce netted 13 of his 19 points from the charity stripe and was a perfect 13-for-13 in the contest. 

Mitchell will next play at Elms College on Thursday, January 20 at 6 p.m.