NEW LONDON, N.H. - The Colby-Sawyer men's basketball team fell at home Tuesday night to New England College, 83-75.
Rapid Recap:
- The Pilgrims struck first on Tuesday night with a three-pointer, but senior Chaz Cullum (Omaha, Neb.) answered right back with a jumper. The teams traded baskets throughout the first few minutes, with graduate student Bryson Jenkins (Gary, Ind.) hitting a three-pointer to tie the game at 7-7 with 17:13 remaining. The Pilgrims then went on a 12-5 run, but junior AJ Mutiganzi (Burlington, Ontario) drove to the basket for a layup to stop the momentum. The back-and-forth battle continued late in the quarter, and Bryson's two free throws sparked a 14-0 run for the Chargers, giving them a five-point lead. The Pilgrims fought back and briefly took a one-point advantage, but graduate student Mike Joanou (Burbank, Calif.) put the Chargers back on top with a layup. The Pilgrims closed out the first half with the final basket, taking a 40-38 lead into the break.
- First-year Elijah Thomas (Fairfax, Va.) opened the scoring in the second half with a layup, followed by a layup from Cullum to give the Chargers a two-point lead. The Pilgrims quickly responded, as Lee Theisen hit a three-pointer to put them ahead with 18:32 remaining. The teams continued to trade baskets, with Cullum driving to the paint to reclaim the lead for the Chargers, and Jenkins hitting a three-pointer to extend their advantage. However, the Pilgrims fought back, tying the game at 57-57 late in the half. As the game wore on, the Pilgrims rallied, pushing their lead to five points with 6:54 remaining. They kept hitting shots and extended their lead to eight. Mutiganzi responded with back-to-back layups, cutting the Pilgrims' lead to four. However, the Pilgrims capitalized on fouls committed by the Chargers, and ultimately secured an 83-75 victory.
Inside the Numbers:
- Cullum notched his 1,000th point despite the loss as he recorded 16 points (8-13 FG), four rebounds, and two steals while Jenkins tallied 16 points (5-12 FG, 4-10 3 PT, 2-2 FT) and three rebounds. Mutiganzi chipped in 15 points (5-7 FG, 1-2 3 PT, 4-5 FT), eight rebounds, and eight assists for the Chargers.
- Theisen Lee led the way for the Pilgrims with 27 points (9-17 FG, 5-9 3 PT, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds, and two steals while Nick Gomeau chipped in 18 points (7-11 FG, 4-6 FT), six rebounds, and six assists. Mike Strazzeri added 14 points (6-7 FG, 1-2 3 PT, 1-1 FT), seven rebounds, and two assists for the Pilgrims.
- The Chargers shot 75% from the free throw and 46.8% from the field. The Pilgrims shot 65.2% from the free throw and 51.7% from the field.
Up Next:
The Chargers will be back in action on Saturday as they host the Johnson & Wales Wildcats with a 3:00 PM tip-off.
