There was action in all three conferences on Wednesday, and as expected, there were plenty of results that affected playoff races. Let’s begin with a key match-up that could likely have decided the North Division championship:
DOMINICAN 65 POST 54
For the second time in 23 days, Dominican downed Post, pulling away in the second half at the Hennessy Center Wednesday to open up a two-game lead in the loss column, and essentially a three-game difference counting the tiebreaker. A 10-0 jaunt to start the second half flipped a 31-30 deficit, and the Chargers never trailed again, though the Eagles did draw within a single possession at 50-47 following a Darrick Boyd bucket with 6:07 to play. Both teams came up empty on their ensuing possessions, but D.J. Rodwell’s free throw at the 4:44 mark initiated a 15-7 game-ending flourish. The senior guard – who recorded a game-high 15 points on the night – capped the scoring with two more tosses (he was 11-of-14 from the line) as the hosts earned their sixth straight win. Jason Copman totaled 10 points and 18 rebounds for Dominican, which also received 10 points from Jalen Burgess (seven rebounds) and Jonathan Garcia. Reserve guards D.J. Jarrett (11 points) and Jonathan Duvivier (10) topped Post’s scoresheet as every starter notched either five or six points. Both teams exhibited a frosty touch (DC 37%, PU 33%), with the Eagles faring better from long range (6-22 to 1-22) and the Chargers doing more damage both in the paint (40-20) and at the stripe (18-28 to 6-10).
FELICIAN 76 BLOOMFIELD 70
The race for the North’s last two playoff berths is now a game of musical chairs between three New Jersey rivals and idle Nyack after Felician stung Bloomfield in Rutherford to inch within a half-game of their guests and Caldwell (tied in the ever-important loss column). A 10-2 flurry over the last 3:58 of the half – punctuated by Jared Pearson’s third slam with 13 seconds left – put the Golden Falcons on top for good at 39-30, and a 13-0 binge expanded a 59-51 advantage to 72-51 after a Jeff Lewis 3-pointer with 7:39 to go. The Bears never threw in the towel, however, embarking on a 19-4 counter-run to pull within 76-70 after a lay-up by Rich Chapman (17 points off the bench) with 1:46 remaining. That would turn out to be the final scoring play of the contest as Felician prevailed despite going scoreless over the final 3:51. Lewis led the charge with 20 points (4-7 from 3), followed by Rachid Shimou (13 points, eight rebounds) and Pearson (12 points in reserve duty, 10 in the opening period). Darin Bellinger posted 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting beyond the arc for Bloomfield, while also snatching seven rebounds. Most of the stats were close but favored the hosts, while both sides boasted positive assist-turnover lines (FU 18/11, BC 17/12).
CONCORDIA 85 CALDWELL 73
Concordia played spoiler again, foiling Caldwell’s plans to grab sole possession of third by forcing a whopping 29 turnovers and allowing only 22 baskets in an impressive win at the Meyer Center. All eight Clippers who saw action scored, led by Jared Young, who posted a career-best 24 points (7-11 FG) and equaled a program record with nine steals. The junior guard’s 3-pointer midway through the first half sparked an 11-0 run that extended a 22-21 lead to 33-21 with 6:40 on the clock. Then, a 10-2 spell over the last 3:33 of the half boosted the margin to 44-27, and the Cougars would never fully recover, coming as close as 58-53 near the midway mark of the second stanza before Alex White, Jr. scored inside to trigger a 12-3 run that widened the gap to 70-56 with 7:03 showing. The divide hovered between nine and 15 the rest of the game. White (3-4 from deep, eight rebounds) and Devon Sims (six boards) each netted 14 for the winners, who also landed Jesse Breeding in double figures with 10 points. Anthony Cooper and Ned Ogoemesim (four assists) each logged 15 points for Caldwell, which also received 12 points from A.J. Kittles and 11 off the bench from Gabe Johnson. The sloppy, exceedingly physical game was marred by 48 fouls, 47 turnovers and a bloody injury that caused a lengthy delay and forced a key player out of the game. Concordia – which has gone 4-4 since a 1-14 start – shot better from the floor (49%-37%) and enjoyed a 27-16 scoring edge off miscues, offsetting the Cougars’ superior board work (44-31, including 20-10 on the offensive end, leading to a 26-10 dominance on second chances). After after a fourth straight defeat, the Cougars remain tied with Bloomfield for the last two playoff spots, though another Garden State rival – Felician – is breathing down their necks. Argelix Gil was the first Clipper to cash in nine steals, on November 30, 2011 at Felician. That was also the only time Concordia procured more thefts (19) than in this tilt (18).
FRANKLIN PIERCE 85 STONEHILL 79
There were only two games in the NE10, and the marquee match-up took place in Rindge as Franklin Pierce repelled Stonehill in improving to 9-1 at the Fieldhouse and moving within a half-game of their guests for second in the Northeast Division. Doyin Fadojutimi was the star of this show, exploding for a career-high 41 points (14-19 FG, 9-13 from long distance), outscoring his fellow starters, who combined for 11 points on 3-of-23 shooting. After spotting their guests the first eight points of the night, the Ravens went to work, orchestrating a 38-18 uprising that led to a 38-26 upper hand with 1:32 to play in the half. The lead peaked at 55-41 with 12-and-a-half minutes left before the Skyhawks began chipping away, drawing within 68-64 on Will Moreton’s 3-ball with 4:55 remaining. Falu Seck answered with a 4-point play from the left wing 13 seconds later (representing more than half his seven-point total), but the visitors closed within a single possession (77-74) on a lay-up by Andrew Sims (nine points, six rebounds in a reserve role) with 43 ticks remaining. That’s as close as they would come, though, as Fadojutimi delivered a dagger – a step-back three from the top of the key that doubled the difference and essentially closed the books. That ninth triple of the game matched the school record, which was established by Shanendon Cartwright on January 25, 1997 vs. Bridgeport and snapped an 8-for-45 3-point funk over the senior guard's last eight games (18%). Sean Fasoyiro (13 points, 4-5 FG, 2-2 from afar) and Max Zegarowski (11 points, 3-5 from 3) provided ample support off the bench for Pierce, which was more prolific from beyond the arc (16-35 to 11-27) and fashioned the superior assist-turnover line (18/11 to 8/17), neutralizing a 39-29 rebounding shortfall. Moreton accumulated 17 of his 26 points in the second half (4-7 from long range) and pulled down 14 rebounds for Stonehill, while narrowly avoiding a dubious triple-double (nine turnovers). Owen Chose (23 points, 9-15 FG, 5-9 from deep) and Brandon Twitty (11 points) also made their presences felt for Stonehill, which slipped a game behind idle St. Anselm atop the division table.
SAINT ROSE 77 NEW HAVEN 73
Sekou Sylla racked up 29 points (12-18 FG) and 15 rebounds for his national-best 19th double-double in leading Saint Rose past New Haven in Albany to arrest an eight-game downturn. This was a roller coaster ride of a game as the Golden Knights trailed 9-1 at the outset and 26-22 before Michael Wearne knocked down back-to-back treys (representing half his point total) to kick-start a 20-4 charge over the last 8:09 of the half that gave the hosts the lead for keeps at 42-30. It was a 44-38 game before another Wearne bomb set in motion a 27-8 blitz that put Saint Rose in the driver’s seat at 71-46 with 9:13 to go. From that point forward, the Chargers turned the tables and dominated the action, outscoring their hosts 27-4 – including 20 unanswered points – in slashing their deficit to 75-73 on Kessly Felizor’s put-back slam with 1:46 on the clock. Thanks to three straight turnovers, the visitors actually had three chances to tie, but that scenario never materialized as Cartier Bowman came up with a huge block of a D’Nathan Knox shot with 20 seconds to play and Sylla closed it out with two foul shots at the five-second mark. Adam Anderson (11 points), Josh McGettigan (10 points on 4-of-5 shooting) and Bowman (seven points, eight rebounds) were useful tools for the Golden Knights, who survived eight miscues over the final 5:30 in limping over the finish line. Derrick Rowland tallied 17 of his 26 points after the break for New Haven, which also placed Elijah Bailey (19 points) and Kessly Felizor (16 points, 6-9 FG, eight boards) in double figures. Saint Rose was the superior shooting (55%-46%) and rebounding (38-25) team while drilling twice as many trifectas (10-21 to 5-20). The Chargers – who are now tied with Pace for fourth in the Southwest Division but lose the tiebreaker – took better care of the ball (19-11 in turnovers) and held an 18-4 advantage on the break.
QUEENS 87 MOLLOY 75
The scrum for the last three playoff spots in the ECC features five teams separated by just two games. Queens helped itself immensely by turning the tables on Molloy at Quealy Gym, avenging a 12-point December home loss with a 12-point victory to inch within a half-game of fourth place. After a tight first half that featured five ties and seven lead changes, the Knights burst out of the halftime break with a 21-8 rush, transforming a 44-44 game into a 65-52 lead they would never relinquish as the Lions would come no closer than six points down the stretch. Elijah Bovell erupted for 30 points (11-19 FG), including two free throws with 46 seconds left that gave his team its largest lead at 85-70. The junior guard added 15 rebounds to his ledger, while Shomari Redd (16 points) and Kevin Buron (10 points, seven caroms) also made impacts for the victors. Nick Corbett posted 23 points and six rebounds to lead the Lions, who also saw Steve Torre (16, 8) and Pano Pavlidis (14, 6 off the bench) play well in a losing effort. Queens was the more accurate shooting club (49%-41%) and was noisier from distance (11-28 to 6-21), negating its hosts’ 42-41 rebounding edge that contributed to a 21-10 boon in second-chance scoring. With its fourth straight setback, Molloy is now even with Queens, half a game behind District of Columbia for fourth.
NEW YORK TECH 68 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 64
Down the road in Old Westbury, New York Tech has thrust itself into the playoff chase after dispatching District of Columbia to sidle within a half-game of the sixth and final playoff berth (tied in the loss column). The Bears bolted out to a 19-2 lead nearly eight minutes after the tap and were still ahead by that margin (38-21) after a Jeffrey Hayden lay-up with 1:18 left in the half when the Firebirds began to percolate, rattling off the last four points of the period and picking up with a 21-4 upswing after intermission to jump in front, 46-42 after a 3-pointer from Qu’ran Dublin (seven bench points) with 11:20 to go. Marcus Saint-Furcy – who registered 19 points (4-7 from 3) – quelled the momentum with a jumper one minute later, launching a 12-4 response run that put Tech back on top, 54-50 at the 5:06 juncture. UDC rallied again, nosing in front, 60-59, on a triple by Juanye Colon (10 points) with 3:01 remaining. But Hayden followed with a tying foul shot 11 seconds later and the go-ahead lay-up with 2:05 on the clock. Colon followed suit at the 1:48 mark, forging a 62-62 tie, and the decisive play occurred on NYIT's next possession as Saint-Furcy rebounded his own miss and found Brandon Redendo for the go-ahead 3-pointer… the only shot attempt off the game for the backup sophomore guard. After Hayden split a pair at the stripe, Kerry Kirkwood (10 points, eight rebounds) brought the Firebirds within a deuce (66-64) on a lay-up, and they were afforded late life after two missed free throws by Opong Bramble (seven points). Alas, Cheyenne Nettleton’s contested shot in the paint came up short and Laurynas Stonkas was fouled on the rebound and converted the clinching tosses with three seconds on the clock. Hayden recorded 17 points and four assists off the bench, while Stonkas chalked up seven points and just as many rebounds for the Bears, who soundly outshot their guests (57%-35%) and were more efficient from behind the 3-point line (6-14 to 6-24). Aaren Smith was high man for UDC with 16 points (3-5 from deep) as his team was more accurate from the foul line (14-17 to 14-26) and outscored the hosts 22-9 off turnovers to keep things close.
JEFFERSON 78 WILMINGTON 62
Devaughn Mallory amassed 30 points (14-20 FG) and 15 rebounds, while fellow seniors Josh Bradanese (21 points, four assists) and Kylan Guerra (nine points, seven rebounds, 11 assists, four steals) also made their presences felt in Jefferson’s stress-free victory over Wilmington at The Complex – its 14th straight victory overall. After five ties and eight lead changes distinguished the first 13 minutes, the #10 Rams seized the reins with a 15-3 run that flipped a 20-18 deficit into a 33-23 lead with 3:23 to play. The divide amplified to 63-43 after a Guerra jumper with 9:41 left, and the Wildcats could not chop the deficit down below 12 the remainder of the ballgame despite solid outings from Jermaine Head (20 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, including career dish #416, eclipsing Herb Dennis’ program record), Jordan Harding (16 points, seven caroms) and Danny Walsh (11 points). Jefferson – which hadn’t won in Newark since December 8, 2015 – shot 56% for the game (65% after halftime) and limited its hosts to 36% accuracy. The Rams were better inside the paint (40-16) and the Cats more productive beyond the arc (13-32 to 6-18), though they paid a price on the glass (40-26). Both sides finished with positive assist-turnover lines (JU 23/11, WU 13/11) but Jefferson parlayed the WilmU mistakes into more points (20-7), remaining perfect in CACC play. Wilmington still sits in fourth in the South. Neither team utilized its bench much as no fewer than six players played the entire game: Head, Harding, Mallory, Guerra, Prince Hickson and Deondre Bourne.
SCIENCES 78 GEORGIAN COURT 74
Georgian Court remains a half-game ahead of Wilmington in third after falling to University of the Sciences in Lakewood. A late 20-8 run transformed a 56-54 deficit into a 74-65 lead for the Devils, with Jordan White the linchpin, touching off the surge with a tying jumper and capping it with two foul shots inside the final minute as he fronted the USciences attack with 25 points (9-15 FG, 3-5 from afar) and seven rebounds. Sean Simon pitched in with 22 points (4-5 from distance) off the bench and Connor Murphy 13 points with 11 rebounds in 40 minutes for the Devils, the freshman forward coming through with the tying and go-ahead buckets down the stretch as they snapped a four-game slide and avenged a December home loss. Caleb Bowser spearheaded the Lions’ attack with 25 points, six rebounds and five assists. He was flanked by Kim Speller (12 points, 5-7 FG, 11 rebounds) and Justin Figueroa (12 points, five assists in reserve duty) as the hosts were outclassed from the floor (44%-35%), from 3-point land (8-15 to 9-28) and at the foul line (22-30 to 9-13) despite holding the lead for all but one possession in the opening half (US led 16-13). The game was close throughout, with neither side able to construct a double-digit advantage.
GOLDEY-BEACOM 67 HOLY FAMILY 58
Goldey-Beacom is all alone on an island as the second-place team in the South… five games behind Jefferson and three up on Georgian Court after downing Holy Family at the Campus Center in a battle of two teams headed in opposite directions. An 18-3 tear over the last 7:40 of the half reversed a 24-15 deficit and gave Goldey a 33-27 bulge at the break. The game remained fairly close throughout the final 20 minutes as Devon Moore’s trey with 13:37 to go shaved the Lightning lead to 43-40. Juran Ligonde’s tip-in one minute later restored a two-possession advantage and the margin barely fluctuated between four and nine the balance of the ballgame as Goldey captured its fourth straight and the Tigers dropped their fourth in a row. Marcellus Livingston (20 points, nine rebounds), Ligonde (15 points on 7-of-10 shooting) and Kyle Elliot (14 points, four steals) were the heavy hitters for the Lightning, which forced three times as many turnovers (27-9) - an essential development considering the hosts' inferior shooting (45%-36%), rebounding (45-30) and assisting (14-10). Four Holy Family players dropped a baker’s dozen: Moore, Eric Esposito (eight rebounds), Branden Aughburns (5-7 FG) and Nate Conyer, who made the most of his first collegiate start by sporting a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double; both figures representing personal bests. Goldey-Beacom did more damage at the line (15-20 to 5-12) and off said turnovers (22-9) in moving over .500 for the first time all season.