MBB Can't Get Past Coast Guard

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College men's basketball team dropped a 71-63 decision against crosstown rival Coast Guard Academy on Wednesday night in a non-conference tilt at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

Tyler Perez paced the Bears (3-6 overall) with a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds and also added four blocks. Ben Yagey chipped in 16 points and eight rebounds off the bench, and Jack Brunswick and Declan Rooney also scored in double digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Ahmani Browne turned in a stellar performance off the bench for the Mariners (3-5 overall), playing 27 minutes and recording career highs of 15 points and 13 rebounds to go with a pair of blocks. Alfonzo Stokes contributed 14 points while Hunter Baillargeon tacked on 12. Jalen Benson rounded out the Mariners in double figures with 11 points and added nine boards, five assists and three blocks.

After a slow start for both sides, Mitchell used a 9-2 run to build a 15-6 lead in the opening 7:32 of the contest. Coast Guard came roaring right back, scoring 12 unanswered points to swoop in front. Five different Bears scored during the stretch, leaving the visitors with an 18-15 lead by the 9:15 mark.

Coast Guard stretched the lead to 10 by the end of the half and led 34-24 at the break. Perez netted 12 of his 16 points by intermission to lead all scorers.

A bucket by Garrett Drummond opened the second-half scoring and gave the Bears their largest lead of the night. Mitchell spent the next 7:00 clawing its way back into the game, using a 15-3 spurt to even things up at 41-41. Browne accounted for seven points during the run.

The game was tied for a matter of seconds, as Perez supplied a bucket on the Coast Guard's next possession to stymie Mitchell's momentum. The Bears never trailed again, as a three by Yagey and back-to-back buckets from Madison Maloney padded the lead.

Mitchell's final push came with 7:21 remaining as a layup by Benson pulled the Mariners to within one at 54-53. However, Yagey once again answered with a dagger three, and baskets by Perez and Rooney extended the margin to eight. 

Mitchell held a 53-50 advantage on the glass but shot only 9-for-18 at the free throw line. The Mariners also struggled from long range; Baillargeon shot 3-for-7 from beyond the arc, but the rest of the team combined to go 1-for-11.

Mitchell will next host Connecticut College on Saturday, December 11 at 2 p.m.