Men's Basketball Falls Behind in Second Half at MCLA, 91-76

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The MCLA Men's basketball program snapped a 16-game Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) slide by placing five players in double figures as they sprinted past the visiting Worcester State Lancers 91-76 this afternoon. 

THE BASICS

January 13, 2018

Amsler Campus Center

Score: MCLA 91, Worcester State 76

Records: MCLA (4-9, 1-2 MASCAC) | Worcester State (1-15, 0-3 MASCAC)

1^ST HALF

Both teams kept within striking distance throughout a competitive first half which saw MCLA take a 43-39 edge in to the locker room.  MCLA shot a torrid 56% in the half, but Worcester stayed in it by forcing 14 first half turnovers. 

2^ND HALF

MCLA kept better care of the basketball while continuing to ride the hot hand of Noah Yearsley (Averill Park, N.Y.), Keiland Cross (Pittsfield, Mass.), and Mike Demartinis (Burlington, Mass.). The trio combined for 34 of MCLA's 48 points in the second half.  Yearsley and Demartinis went a combined 6-for-7 from deep in the pivotal second half of play. With the score at 45-41 in favor of MCLA, the Trailblazers would go on a 9-3 spurt to open up a double digit lead at 54-44.  The Lancers would get within seven points a few times, but each time MCLA had the answer. At the 6:13 mark, it was 75-67 in favor of the hosts after Worcester State's Bryson Gulley (Mattapan, Mass.) converted a triple.  After that, MCLA would go on a 9-2 run to effectively put the game away as they built an 84-69 advantage.  They would hold Worcester State to just nine points over the final minutes and cruise to victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Yearsley led the Trailblazers with 23 points on 9-for-12 shooting including 5-for-6 from three point range.  Fellow freshman Demartinis added 16 points including a 4-for-6 showing from beyond the arc. 
• Joe Wiggins (Pittsfield, Mass.) collected 13 points, while Cross and Adam Conquest (Gardner, Mass.) added 12 and 10, respectively, for the hosts.
• The Lancers were led by Shaun McCarthy's (Oxford, Mass.) game high 27 point night.  He completed the double-double with 10 boards. 
• Cal Howes (Maynard, Mass.) added 16 points while Gulley collected 14 for Worcester State.
• MCLA owned a 43-36 edge off the glass and survived 22 turnovers in the win.
• The Lancers shot just 39% in the loss.
• The game saw six ties and eight lead changes – all of which were in the first half.
• This loss marks the Lancers' eighth straight loss.

UP NEXT

The men's basketball team will seek their first conference win next Saturday (Jan. 20) when they host Fitchburg State in a 3 p.m. MASCAC matchup in the Lancer Gymnasium.

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Release Courtesy of MCLA Sports Information