MBB Holds off NEC on Senior Day

NEW LONDON, Conn. –- The Mitchell College men's basketball team held off New England College for a 90-78 victory on Saturday afternoon in a New England Collegiate Conference showdown at the Yarnall Athletic Center.

Senior Alfonzo Stokes (Bloomfield, Conn.) scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds, both team-high figures for the Mariners, who remained undefeated on both their home court and in conference play this season. Mikey Buscetto (Waterford, Conn.) filled the stat sheet to the tune of 22 points, eight steals, and seven assists, while Jalen Benson (New London, Conn.) finished with 21 points on 9-15 shooting, along with three rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Sophomore Wilton Causey (Worcester, Mass.) nearly missed out on a double-double, tallying nine points and 11 rebounds in just 16 minutes on the court.

The Mariners opened up the game on a 12-0 run and appeared to be off and running. However, the Pilgrims battled back by putting together a 21-11 run of their own to make it a two-point game with 7:11 remaining in the opening half. After Nick Gomeau tied the game on a layup with 4:24 to go in the frame, Mitchell was able to push back and went to the locker room leading 41-36.

New England College knotted the score once again two minutes into the second half after Kyle Inglis finished on a layup, and they took their first lead of the game a minute later on a basket by Gomeau. The lead grew to as large as five points before the Mariners righted the ship, tying the game back up on a Stokes free throw, before going ahead on a basket by Benson with 13:14 on the clock.

The Pilgrims were able to regain the advantage, but a Buscetto jumper tilted the scales in Mitchell's favor with 11:57 remaining in the contest. The Mariners did not look back from there, watching their lead grow to as large as 17 before holding off a hard charging New England College squad for a 12-point victory.

The Mariners shot 45% from the floor, 78.9% from the free throw line, and out rebounded New England College 44-23. The Mitchell defense also forced 30 turnovers and handed out 16 assists to just seven for the Pilgrims.

Kyle Inglis poured in a game-high 26 points on 10-15 shooting for New England College, and he was joined in double-figures by Michael Hills, who scored 14 off the bench.

The Mitchell College men's basketball team honored seven seniors before the game; Mikey Buscetto, Alfonzo Stokes, Jalen Benson, Jacob Narvaez, Ahmani Browne, Samuel Jackson, and Maxwell Gayle.

Winners of seven straight, the Mariners (17-3 overall, 4-0 NECC) will return to the court on Monday, February 6^th, when they host Fitchburg State at 6:00 pm in a non-conference tilt. New England College (4-17 overall, 1-3 NECC) face off against Thomas (ME) on Tuesday, February 7^th.