MORRISVILLE, N.Y. – It was a tale of two halves Wednesday night in North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) action as visiting Keuka College dominated the first half of play before the tables turned and host Morrisville State men's basketball overcame a 15-point halftime deficit to claim an 83-76 victory on their home court in Morrisville with stellar second half play.
THE BASICS:
- Final Score: Morrisville 83, Keuka 76 (halftime: Keuka 47-32)
- Location: Morrisville, N.Y.
- Records: Morrisville State 11-3, 6-0 NEAC; Keuka College 7-6, 4-2 NEAC
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Visiting Keuka College shot a stellar 60% from the floor in the first half, draining a total 9-of-14 from long distance, as they raced out to a 15-point lead at the break.
- The Wolves opened with a 7-0 spurt before the Mustangs got on the board, and maintained a distance from the hosts, increasing their lead to as many 17 before heading into the halftime break.
- Both teams exchanged baskets throughout the first four minutes of the second half, before a jumper by senior Lamel Faison (Brooklyn, N.Y.) at the 14:51 mark sparked a 12-2 run by the hosts over the next three minutes of play, making it a one-point ball game at 55-54 in favor of the Wolves.
- Keuka rallied for their own eight point spurt to broaden the margin to nine, but back-to-back buckets by Faison, including a three from the top of the key, again brought the Mustangs within striking distance.
- Kevin Dennis (Bronx, N.Y.) converted two from the free throw line to make it a two-point game with 3:08 to go, and Faison followed with a three on the ensuing Mustang possession to give the hosts their first lead of the contest at 72-71.
- Nearly a minute later, Faison added another from beyond the arc, for the four point cushion, giving the Mustangs enough of an edge to win the contest from the free throw line in the closing 23 seconds of the game. Morrisville State went 8-for-8 from the charity stripe in that time, four from Faison.
- Four posted double-digits for the Mustangs in the winning efforts, including Faison who led the way with 24 points, adding eight assists to his tallies as he drained 4-of-7 from downtown and 6-of-7 from the free throw line.
- Dennis added 16 points, collecting yet another double-double with 16 rebounds, while Tyrin Miller (White Plains, N.Y.) collected 15 to go along with one rebound.
- Hall came off the bench to contribute 13, assisting three while collecting two steals.
- Keuka had four post double figures, including Ryder Mansfield who collected 22, 15 in the first half, to go along with 11 rebounds.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- Morrisville State returns to the court Saturday, traveling to Wells College for a 3 p.m. conference contest with the Express.
Morrisville State College's curricula are enriched with applied learning and pave the way for opportunity at both the Morrisville and Norwich campuses. An action-oriented, interactive learning lab, the college is a national leader in technology and has been lauded for its exemplary, innovative and effective community service programs.
The college was ranked among the Best Regional Colleges in the North by U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges 2018 issue and was also recognized in the Top Public Schools, Regional Colleges North in the 2018 Best Colleges rankings. For more information about Morrisville State College, visit www.morrisville.edu.
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