Mariners Slip at Elms

CHICOPEE, Mass. -- The Mitchell College men's basketball team suffered a 66-63 setback to Elms College in New England Collegiate Conference action on Wednesday night at Picknelly Arena.

Mitchell shot a season-low 30 percent from the floor but still managed to stay in the game until the final seconds. Malik Chase led three Mariners in double figures with 16 points and added four rebounds and two steals. Hasani Williams and Leonard Williams chipped in 10 points apiece. 

D.J. Edelen paced Elms with a game-high 20 points. The Blazers shot 40 percent for the game and held a 57-45 edge on the glass.

Points were hard to come by in the opening half as the teams were tied at 17-17 with 7:18 remaining. The Blazers then ripped off 10 unanswered points, eight of which came from Kewan Smoot, to take the lead for good. Chase helped cut into the deficit with a pair of threes in the final 1:13 of the half as Mitchell pulled within 35-30 by the break.

After the Mariners got within two in the early stages of the second half, Elms built the lead back to double digits but later struggled down the stretch. Trailing 60-51 with 3:23 to go, Mitchell roared back behind an 8-1 run that was capped by a three from Leonard Williams. The visitors twice got within two in the final 1:13, but the Blazers answered back both times with buckets to thwart the comeback. 

Mitchell (10-14 overall, 7-4 NECC) will close out the regular season with a home date against Eastern Nazarene College on Saturday, February 22 at 1 p.m.