Big Run to Start Second Half Leads Men's Basketball Past NEC

HENNIKER, N.H. – The Mitchell College men's basketball team used a 14-2 run to start the second half and picked up a 71-50 win over New England College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) game at Bridges Gymnasium.

The game was tied 26-26 with 1:48 left in the first half before Mitchell scored the final five points of half and started the second half with a 14-2 run to take a commanding 45-28 lead with 14:48 left in the game to cap a 19-2 spurt. 

Jaylyn Clardy (Pensacola, Fla.) had a game-high 20 points to lead Mitchell while Elijah Miller (Ellington, Conn.) had his first career-double double as he posted career-highs with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Wilton Causey (Worcester, Mass.) added a season-high tying 16 points to go with eight rebounds while Dontae Pollard (Fort Walton Beach, Fla.) had a season-high six assists for the Mariners.

The Mariners have won back-to-back games for the second time this season to improve to 7-14 overall and 4-6 in conference play while New England College drops to 4-17 overall and 1-9 in the GNAC.

Mitchell shot 39.5 percent from the field in the win (30 of 76) while making six of 12 from 3-point range.

The Pilgrims were 17 of 46 from the floor (37 percent) and hit 1 of 8 from behind the arc.

Causey gave Mitchell a 2-0 lead with 17:23 left in the opening half before NEC ran off nine straight for a 9-2 advantage with 13:45 left in the half. The Mariners answered with eight straight to regain the lead 10-9 on a 3-pointer by Clardy with 11:39 left.

Mitchell scored the final five points of the half and led 31-26 at the break. Clardy led Mitchell with 13 points in the first half.

The Mariners led by as many as 23 in the second half cruising to the win.

Mitchell is back in action on Wednesday when the Mariners host Dean in a GNAC game at 7:00 while NEC will host Norwich in a conference game at 7:00 on Wednesday.