Men's Basketball Loses First Game at Hockenbury Classic

NORTHFIELD, Vt. — The Norwich University men's basketball team utilized a strong-second half shooting performance to turn a 15-point halftime deficit into a 73-68 victory over Mitchell College on Saturday night at Andrews Hall in the opening round of the TDS Ed Hockenbury Classic.

Norwich (3-2 overall) got out to 12-5 lead just over four minutes into the game after a three-point basket by Josh Cabrera and a lay-up by Evan Tullar, but Mitchell (3-2 overall) propelled itself to a 25-15 lead with a 20-3 run midway through the half.

Joshua Ford scored 22 points in the first half for the Mariners and staked Mitchell out to a 45-30 lead at the end of one period.

The Cadets made several defensive adjustments at the half, limiting Ford to just nine second-half points. Tom McDonald hit four three-pointers in the half's first five minutes to bring the Cadets to within six at 49-43.

The Mariners answered back with a mini-run to go up 54-46 before the Cadets took a 55-54 lead with 9:11 remaining after lay-ups by Jimmy Warden and Cabrera, a jumper by Tullar and another three-point basket by Cabrera.

The last nine minutes were a back-and-forth affair that saw three ties and two lead changes.

With the score tied at 64 apiece and 2:42 to play, the Cadets took the lead for good when Brandon Kuhre hit a lay-up to put the Cadets up two. A Warden free throw gave the Cadets a 67-64 lead before Ford scored on a tough shot in the lane to cut the lead to one at 67-66.

McDonald hit a lay-up to give the Cadets a 69-66 lead, and free throws by Nickolai Havoutis iced the game for Norwich.

McDonald scored 22 points on 8-for-17 shooting while Cabrera poured in 21 and added nine rebounds. Havoutis was the third Cadet in double-figures with 10. The Cadets shot 48 percent as a team in the second half.

Ford's 31 points came on 14-for-18 shooting, and he also added a game-high 14 rebounds. Freshman Devonta Mosley finished with 13 points while junior Anthony Epps chipped in 12.

Mitchell will play either Wesleyan University or Babson College in Sunday's consolation game at 1 p.m.