MBB Sunk by Owls as 10 Game Win Streak Snapped

WESTFIELD, Mass. -- The Mitchell College men's basketball team saw their season-high 10 game winning streak come to an end on the road in non-conference action Wednesday night, falling behind early and never catching up as Westfield State pushed past the Mariners 107-68 at the Woodward Center.

The loss was the first since January 11^th for the Mariners, who shot just 36.4% from the floor and 12.5% from three-point territory. Alfonzo Stokes (Bloomfield, Conn.) led Mitchell with 22 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The senior guard finished 7-8 from the charity stripe and was joined in double-figures by Mikey Buscetto (Waterford, Conn.), who delivered 13 points and five assists.

The Owls opened the game on a 5-0 run before Bishop Taylor (Aberdeen, M.D.) netted the first basket for the Mariners, a jumper at the 16:51 mark of the first half. A 7-0 run for the home team followed, which made it a 10-point game. Shortly after, Stokes sank a pair of free throws and made a layup, while Jacob Narvaez (Miramar, Fla.) nailed a jumper, and the Mariners found themselves down just four as the half approached the midway mark.  

The remainder of the opening half was played at a fast pace, as the two teams combined for 14 turnovers in the frame. Eventually, Westfield State began to pull ahead, putting together a 22-13 run in the lead up to halftime, which shifted a five-point Mariner deficit into a 47-33 lead for the Owls at the break.

The Mariners continued to trail by double-digits as the second half opened. Twice Mitchell made it a 12 point game, but each time Westfield responded, once on a tree by Brendan Keaveny and again when JT Thompson made a pair of shots from the line.

The lead continued to grow as the Owls increased their advantage down the stretch to as large as 41 points before pulling away and eventually handing Mitchell their most lopsided defeat of the season. The Mariners struggled down low, losing the rebounding battle 48-28 and allowing 60 points to Westfield State in the paint.

Brendon Hamilton posted a 25-point, 17-rebound double-double for Westfield, while Kumar Brown also registered a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The pair was joined in double-figures by Thompson (22 points, seven assists), Keaveny (18 points), and Timmy Jacobu (11 points).

Winners in 11 of their last 13 games, the Mariners (20-4 overall, 5-0 NECC) will conclude their regular season on Saturday, February 18^th, traveling to play New England Collegiate Conference foe Eastern Nazarene College at 7:00 pm. Westfield State (9-15 overall) will wrap up their regular season at Fitchburg State on Saturday, February 18^th, at 12:00 pm.