MBB Can't Hold On at Regis

WESTON, Mass. – Mitchell College stumbled late in a 74-69 loss at Regis College on Tuesday night in New England Collegiate Conference men's basketball action.

Evin Matted recorded his first collegiate double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds to lead Regis (1-11 overall, 1-2 NECC) to its first win of the season. Mitchell fell to 5-5 overall and 1-1 in league play.

Regis and Mitchell traded baskets through the first five minutes of play before a free throw from Ryan Chambers and a jumper from Matted gave the Pride a 9-5 advantage. Mitchell's Anthony Epps and Chambers traded three-balls to keep the Regis lead at five, but back-to-back baskets by sophomores Trace Lanson and Alberto Durogene made it a 12-12 game with 11:28 to play.

Epps gave Mitchell a short-lived 15-12 lead as the Pride answered with a pair of free throws from Ethan Peana and an Osanto Marc lay-up on a nice feed from Carlos Bermudez-Glean to put the Pride back on top 16-15. Epps took the lead back for Mitchell at 18-17 on an and-one layup, but Regis responded with an 11-0 run, including three straight threes by Marc, Bermudez-Glean, and Chambers that prompted a Mitchell timeout. The Mariners chipped away at the deficit over the final four minutes, ending the half on a 16-5 run to trail the Pride 35-34 at the break.

Marc and Chambers led the Pride with nine points apiece and Bermudez-Glean chipped in seven of his own, while Matted grabbed seven rebounds. Mitchell was paced by 12 points from Epps, while junior Alex Del Rio and freshman Hector Aleman chipped in five points apiece. Junior Joshua Ford added four points and six rebounds.

The Pride opened the second half with a quick 6-0 spurt on free throws from Ahmad Charles and Chambers, who also added a three in the run to make it 41-34. Matted converted on a spinning lay-up under the basket to make it 43-36, and a Charles fast-break lay-up made it 45-36, leading to a Mitchell timeout with 17:56 to play. The Mariners slowly cut into the deficit and a triple by Ford with 15:28 to play made it a one-point game. After Bermudez-Glean and Epps traded hoops, Ford converted on a deep two that gave Mitchell a 50-49 lead.

Following an Ahmad Charles basket, Ford and Aleman scored three-straight buckets to make it a 56-51 game and force a Regis timeout. The Pride cut it to 56-55 on an Ethan Peana fast-break lay-up before Mitchell slowly stretched its lead back out to 64-57 on a fast-break lay-up by freshman Devonta Mosley with just over seven minutes remaining in the game.

Matted answered with a jump hook in the lane, and an Osanto Marc lay-up made it a three-point game with 5:30 to play. Epps responded with a deep three from the corner to put the Mariners back on top by six. After a series of turnovers by both teams, Marc and Bermudez-Glean hit back-to-back jumpers to make it a two-point game, but Bermudez-Glean could not convert on the free throw, keeping the score at 67-65.

Following a five-second call on the Mariners, Matted was fouled in the post and calmly stepped to the line to knock down two free throws and tie the game at 67-67. Mosley hit a running jumper to put Mitchell back on top, but Marc answered with an 18-footer from the elbow to tie it back up with only 37 seconds remaining.

On the next Mariner possession, Charles stole a pass and hit Bermudez-Glean with an outlet pass to start the break. The freshman missed the contested layup, but as he had done all night, Matted cleaned up the offensive glass and sunk the put-back while getting fouled on the play to give Regis a 71-69 lead. He then buried the ensuing free throw to put the Pride up by three.

After a Mitchell timeout near halfcourt to set up a play, Bermudez-Glean tipped away the inbounds pass to Matted who dribbled up the floor and forced Mitchell to foul him again. The sophomore hit both freebies to make it a 74-69 advantage and then turned away Mitchell's last second attempt at a three to seal the five-point win.

Regis lost the battle on the boards, 35-33, but won the turnover battle with only 13 missteps to Mitchell's 18, which the Pride turned into 19 points. Regis did a lot of its damage at the charity stripe, going 19-for-23 at the line, compared to 8-for-10 for the Mariners.

Marc led the Pride with 17 points and also added six rebounds and two assists. Chambers knocked down four three-pointers en route to 14 points, while Bermudez-Glean scored 11 points and added four assists and three steals.

Mitchell had four players reach double-figures as well. Epps' team-high19 points also included four three-pointers. Ford added a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds while Del Rio and Mosley added 10 points apiece.

Mitchell returns to action at home against Elms College on Thursday, January 10 at 6:00 p.m.