ASHLAND, VA. – The Morrisville State men's basketball team made a program fifth appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament Friday night, exiting the bracket after falling 95-70 to host and no. 5 ranked Randolph-Macon College in the opening round.
THE BASICS:
- Final Score: Morrisville 70, Randolph-Macon 95
- Location: Ashland, Virginia – Opening round of the NCAA Division III Tournament
- Records: Morrisville 23-5, Randolph-Macon 26-3
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Morrisville State struggled early on trying to find rhythm in their offensive game throwing the ball away nine times in the first eight minutes of the contest, while the hosts utilized the backing of the home court to establish an early lead.
- Senior Lamel Faison (Brooklyn, N.Y.) kept the Mustangs in the contest, netting the first 11 points for Morrisville State, while the Yellow Jackets built up a double-digit lead.
- After trailing by 17 midway through, Morrisville State went on a 10-0 run to cut the deficit to seven, and maintained a strike able distance until the halftime period where R-MC headed into the locker room with a 41-31 lead.
- A 15-4 run, though, by the hosts set Morrisville State back by 21 early in the second half, and the Yellow Jackets were able to maintain their lead to advance with the win.
- Three posted double figures for the Mustangs in their efforts, including Faison who led the way with 22 total points, adding eight assists and three steals.
- Junior Kevin Dennis (Bronx, N.Y.) added 16 to go along with 12 rebounds and a steal, for his 24th double-double of the year; while Justin Mitchell (Newburgh, N.Y.) rounded out the leaderboard with 17 points and two steals.
- Morrisville State shot 45.6% from the floor and 41.2% from long range, and held a slight edge over the Yellow Jackets in rebounding, outgaining the hosts 34-28 on the glass, but R-MC had a stellar shooting effort, hitting 38-of-65 shots (58.5%) to back their offensive game.
- Morrisville State wraps up the season with a 23-5 overall record.
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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