Men’s Basketball Held Off by MCLA, 71-69

WORCESTER, Mass. –Adam Conquest (Gardner, Mass.) poured in a game-high 20 points and nine rebounds to help the visiting Trailblazers of MCLA pull past the Lancers of Worcester State in a Saturday afternoon Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup.

THE BASICS

February 3, 2018

Lancer Gymnasium

Score: MCLA 71, Worcester State 69

Records: MCLA (7-13, 4-5 MASCAC) | Worcester State (3-19, 2-7 MASCAC)

1^ST HALF

Conquest broke the nil score 1:50 into the game on a layup off his own rebound. Worcester State's Cal Howes (Maynard, Mass.) knotted the score at 2-2 with two free throws and then Shaun McCarthy (Oxford, Mass.) gave the Lancers their first lead of the game with 16:22 on the clock ensuing a layup. After ties at four and seven, Worcester State's Will Watkins Jr. (Southbridge, Mass.) put the Lancers ahead on a triple. The Lancers maintained the lead until MCLA's Quran Davis (New York, N.Y.) made a three with 11:04 on the clock to tie the score at 16-16. The teams traded leads over the next three minutes. It wasn't until there was eight minutes on the clock that Worcester State burst ahead on a 10-0 run, including triples from Bryson Gulley (Mattapan, Mass.) and Joe Desormier (Granby, Mass.). MCLA's Conquest began a 7-0 run with 3:19 on the clock which made it a 4-point game with 1:41 left in the first. With five seconds on the clock, Ki-Shawn Monroe (Springfield, Mass.) made a layup to get the Trailblazers within two heading into the half (37-35).

2^ND HALF

MCLA took the lead at the start of the second half on a Noah Yearsley (Averill Park, N.Y.) free throw, and layups from Conqeust and Joseph Wiggins (Pittsfield, Mass.). MCLA would hold off the Lancers until Worcester State took the lead again with 11:47 on the clock with back-to-back trey's from Howes and Gulley. The game saw ties at 48 and 50-all, and then MCLA took the last lead of the game with 7:26 on the clock with two consecutive Davis 3-pointers. The Trailblazers would go ahead by 10, and then hold off the Lancers despite a battle from the Blue and Gold. Worcester State made a 3-poitner with five seconds remaining to make it a 2-point game. However, the Trailblazers got the ball in bounds on a long throw and the clock dwindled down to zero, giving MCLA a 71-69 win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Conquest posted a game-high 20 points and nine rebounds with an assist and a steal.
• Davis and Keiland Cross (Pittsfield, Mass.) put up 13 and 11 points, respectively, in the win for MCLA. Cross collected seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
• Worcester State saw double-digit figures from four players. McCarthy recorded a team-high 15 points, while Howes and Watkins each had 13 points. Gulley converted 4-of-6 three's for 12 points.
• Worcester State's rebounding leader was Watkins with nine. Emeka Eguatu (Worcester, Mass.) and McCarthy collected eight boards each.
• Despite the loss, Worcester State held higher shooting percentages than MCLA in all three categories (40% from the field, 40% from 3-point range, 73.9% from the charity stripe).
• MCLA shot 38.7% from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc.
• MCLA forced 23 Lancer turnovers, while MCLA turned the ball over 17 times.
• Overall, the game saw eight ties and 10 lead changes.

UP NEXT

Both teams matchup against Fitchburg State next week. MCLA hosts Fitchburg on Wednesday (Feb. 10) and then Fitchburg hosts Worcester State on Saturday (Feb. 10).

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