Men's Basketball Holds Off Lesley

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Behind a game-high 33 points from Donavan McClean, the Mitchell College men's basketball team picked up a 91-86 victory over Lesley University on Saturday afternoon in New England Collegiate Conference action at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

McClean, who played all 40 minutes, shot 10-for-16 from the floor and 10-for-10 at the free throw line. He also added five rebounds and four assists as the Mariners (8-12 overall, 6-7 NECC) snapped a three-game losing skid. Parris Hill netted 25 points before fouling out while Frank Martin added 10.

Four players scored in double figures for the Lynx (5-18 overall, 4-10 NECC), led by 29 points from Devon Mayo. Mayo shot 6-for-12 from three-point range and also grabbed seven rebounds. Terrell Toney added 19 points while Pierre St. Simon and Chris Barletta chipped in with 11 and 10, respectively.

Mitchell jumped in front early as McClean and Hill combined for the team's first 17 points, staking the Mariners to a 17-9 lead with 13:51 to play in the half. Corbin Polec then jumpstarted the Lynx with consecutive baskets, sparking a 17-4 run over the next five minutes that resulted in a 26-21 Lesley lead following a layup by Toney with 8:52 to go.

Later in the half, Mitchell tied the game at 28-28 on a three-point play by Domenico Santiago with 5:30 remaining. McClean followed with a three-point play of his own to give the lead back to the Mariners, though Lesley scored the next nine points to vault back in front. The Lynx held the lead for the rest of the stanza and took a slim 38-37 advantage into the locker room at the break.

Lesley led for a good portion of the second half, seizing its biggest lead at 61-54 thanks to 6-0 stretch that featured layups by Polec, St. Simon and Barletta. Mitchell responded by scoring the next 12 points to take back the lead for good. Brayvon Young kicked off the stretch with a three-pointer while Hill supplied the final nine points of the run, giving the Mariners a 66-61 edge with 9:32 to play.

The Lynx cut the deficit to one with 6:50 to go, but Mitchell answered with six straight points to keep the advantage. McClean later buried seven free throws in the final 1:17 to seal the victory.

Mitchell shot 51 percent for the contest and converted on 27 of 34 attempts at the charity stripe. Santiago finished with nine points and five rebounds while Young provided seven points and three boards off the bench.

Mitchell will next play at Daniel Webster College on Tuesday, February 16 at 7 p.m. Lesley returns to action at home against Regis College on Tuesday at 8 p.m.