MBB Bests Wheelock Behind Big Second Half
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wheelock (1-17, 0-10 NECC) | 42 | 45 | 87 |
|
Mitchell (15-4, 11-1 NECC) | 43 | 61 | 104 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College men's basketball team used a big second half to pull away from Wheelock College in a 104-87 victory on Saturday afternoon in a New England Collegiate Conference match-up at the Yarnall Athletic Center.
The Mariners shot 66 percent in the second half to put up 61 points and eclipsed the century mark for the third time this season. Mitchell (15-4 overall, 11-1 NECC) also surpassed the school record for single season victories in its Division III era (14 wins in 2012-13).
Senior Joshua Ford and junior Parris Hill led the charge for the Mariners. Ford finished with 31 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks while Hill posted 29 points, a game-high 13 rebounds and three rejections. Sophomore Frank Martin and senior Anthony Epps also scored in double figures with 16 and 12 points, respectively.
Anthony Williams netted a season-high 34 points on 13-for-20 shooting to lead Wheelock (1-17 overall, 0-10 NECC). Paul Coucci came off the bench to hit four three-pointers and finished with 14 points, and Joe Reedy added 12 while Derek Fournier contributed 11. Nicholas Fenton also tied a season high with 12 assists, the fourth time this year he's reached double digits in the category.
The Mariners led 9-2 after the first two minutes, but the Wildcats came right back and kept the score close for the remainder of the half. The duo of Williams and Fournier did most of the damage for Wheelock, the former in the paint and the latter from beyond the arc.
The first half featured five ties and six lead changes. Wheelock took its biggest lead following a three by Fournier that made it 37-32 with 4:15 to play in the half, though Mitchell answered with an 11-2 run to pull back in front. Epps scored four points during the stretch while Martin canned the go-ahead three with 1:36 to play.
Wheelock trailed 43-42 at the half thanks to a late trey by Fournier, his third of the stanza. Williams had 15 points at the break while Fournier had nine and Reedy added eight. Hill had nine points at intermission to pace the Mariners, who played the final 12 minutes of the half with Ford on the bench due to foul trouble.
The Wildcats pulled ahead on a jumper by Pablo Tovar to start the second half, but Hill responded with a lay-up on the other end, and Mitchell never again trailed. The Mariners quickly scored 10 straight points to pump the lead to nine at 53-44, capping the run on a dunk by Hill. However, the margin didn't last long as Wheelock scored 10 of the next 12 points—including a pair of threes by Coucci—over a two-minute stretch to cut the deficit back to one.
Wheelock proved hard to shake over the remainder of the half, but Mitchell finally got some separation thanks to a 10-2 run that made it 80-71 with 7:37 to go. The Wildcats never got closer than seven points the rest of the way, and the Mariners eventually extended the margin to double digits.
After sitting for most of the first half, Ford played all 20 minutes of the second and tallied 24 points and eight rebounds. He has now posted a league-high 18 double-doubles on the season and scored 30 or more points five times.
Martin logged a season-high 35 minutes in a strong performance, handing out five assists while recording three steals. He also grabbed five rebounds and went 5-for-5 at the free throw line.
Mitchell will next play at Becker College on Thursday, February 6 at 7 p.m. Wheelock returns to action at Elms College on Tuesday, February 4 at 7 p.m.
