Two of Rutgers’ largely unseen bright spots flash through in loss to Wisconsin

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — For most of the season, and understandably so, Rutgers has gone as its dynamic freshman duo of Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper has on any given night.

But on some days, especially now as Big Ten play heats up, there will be instances in which the Scarlet Knights will have to rely on a supporting cast head coach Steve Pikiell has heralded on more than one occasion.

Monday night was one such moment, as Bailey struggled shooting the ball against Wisconsin—missing 13 of his 16 attempts—while Harper was held scoreless and missed both shots he took on a night where he still showed lingering effects of the flu that sidelined him Thursday in a loss at Indiana. But even with the emergence of Tyson Acuff and Dylan Grant, Rutgers’ effort in cutting a double-digit deficit to three points fell by the wayside as the Badgers came into Jersey Mike’s Arena and led from tip to buzzer in a 75-63 victory.

“Not a lot of teams come in here and beat us like that,” Pikiell said as Rutgers to 8-7, its third loss in four games. “It’s a 40-minute league and I gotta get these guys to play 40 minutes. We’ve obviously gotta play better, gotta get healthy, all those things.”

“I just wanted us to play better from the jump, and we didn’t. And that’s on me. That’s not on anybody else but me. I’m trying to get them to play to the level that they need to play in a game like that, and we didn’t.”

From a health standpoint, Harper was visibly hindered as he struggled to regain his mobility. According to Monday’s FS1 telecast, the freshman has dropped nine pounds since coming down with the flu last week, but still attempted to gut it out as best as possible.

“He wanted to go tonight, but obviously that flu has taken a lot out of him,” Pikiell said. “I appreciated him trying today, but he just didn’t have the energy that you need to have, and it’s understandable.”

In his stead, Acuff stepped up. The fifth-year senior, one of the nation’s leading scorers last year at Eastern Michigan before entering the transfer portal, scored a team-best 17 points Monday, by far his best outing of the season as he has played his way back from a broken foot that cost him most of the preseason and lingered through non-conference play.

“He hasn’t played many minutes and other guys have gotten more opportunities, but his energy was excellent,” Pikiell said of his veteran. “Tyson had a serious foot injury and he’s been working practice more and more confident with his abilities. He’s been stringing together good practices, and I think it shows out there. We need him to be real good, especially when we’re down some guys and we need the energy that he can bring. Those were two real positives from today’s game.”

Grant, an oft-forgotten piece of Rutgers’ freshman class alongside Harper, Bailey and Lathan Sommerville, made the most of his time Monday as well. The Canadian scored eight points and chipped in three rebounds in just over 16 minutes of action, and along with Sommerville, was one of the Scarlet Knights’ most efficient players with a plus-4 rating.

“He’s talented,” Pikiell said of Grant. “His ability to block shots, you saw that, he could finish plays, he’s got a lot. He just has to become more consistent in everything that he does, but I’m proud of him. When you haven’t played much and you jump into the Wisconsin game, and you’re ready to go and give us some great minutes…we were looking for a boost off our bench, and he was able to really do that. Hopefully he continues what he’s been doing the last couple days. He needs to keep stringing it together. That’s where confidence is built, and if he keeps doing that, he’ll keep getting his opportunities.”

The schedule does not get any kinder for Rutgers in the coming days, with a pair of ranked teams visiting New Jersey in Purdue and UCLA. Pikiell appeared to be more demonstrative in timeouts Monday, looking for a spark to galvanize his unit, and insisted he would bounce back in lockstep with his players.

“I’ve been here through many tough times,” he reiterated. “We could still figure this out. I don’t get frustrated, I get back to work.”

Acuff concurred.

“We’ve got amazing pieces, man,” he added. “Myself, Dylan Grant, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, Jordan Derkack, we’ve got all the pieces in the world to make it where we need to be. We just gotta string a couple of those together, get some stops, and just put more effort into the game.”

UConn overcomes McNeeley’s absence, 14-point hole with three-headed monster to top Providence

Dan Hurley and UConn continue to survive and advance, erasing 14-point deficit Sunday to defeat Providence and move to 4-0 in Big East play. (Photo by UConn Men’s Basketball)

STORRS, Conn. — As he has guided his UConn program through the rare quest for a third consecutive national championship, Dan Hurley has intimated on numerous occasions that this year’s iteration of the Huskies is dissimilar to either of the two outfits that reigned supreme on the first Monday in April in each of the past two seasons.

The personnel changes are the easiest difference to spot, the youth a close second. As the non-conference slate has unfolded into the resumption of Big East play, the other tangible antonym on the roster has been a desperation and wily veteran embodiment of the returning players’ refusal to give in.

Sunday afternoon afforded the latest example of the latter, on a day where Hurley was without a key component in star freshman Liam McNeeley, who missed his first game since injuring his ankle in Wednesday’s road win at DePaul.

After a first half in which UConn was thoroughly beaten to rebounds and loose balls by a Providence team coming off a decisive loss to Marquette on Friday, the Huskies used their physicality to draw fouls and bully their way back from a 14-point deficit. A 26-5 run—sparked mainly by Hassan Diarra, Aidan Mahaney and Tarris Reed, Jr.—flipped the script on the Friars and gave the reigning champions a double-digit lead in the waning moments of regulation. But Providence had one last rally to make things interesting, nearly coming back again but falling just short as UConn rang in its 2025 home opener with an 87-84 victory at a raucous Gampel Pavilion.

“We cheated death in this one here today,” Hurley deadpanned as the 11th-ranked Huskies (12-3, 4-0 Big East) won their eighth straight game since a November 27 loss to Dayton in the Maui Invitational. “We’re gonna have to win games in this type of manner. We’ve all been spoiled by the level of play in home games, and it’s just been a highlight reel. But this is a different team, especially with Liam out.”

“We’re frontrunners, we never come back,” he quipped as UConn overcame its largest deficit since wiping out an 18-point head start against Marquette four years ago today. “The game for us, obviously, was about Hassan Diarra and his will to not allow us to lose what would have been a rough game. He carried himself with the spirit and the will of a two-time national champion, and obviously Tarris’ second-half was huge.”

Diarra led the Huskies in more ways than one—with 19 points and eight assists to reflect his alpha status in the stat sheet while asserting himself on the floor—but it was Reed who was most instrumental in UConn’s comeback. A team-high plus-15 in just over 18 minutes of work, the Michigan transfer channeled the aggression Hurley has clamored for from his big man, and atoned for a missed assignment before the intermission by taking matters into his own hands down the stretch.

“The first half, I knew I wasn’t giving it my all, but at halftime, (Hurley) riled us up,” Reed said as he shared the impetus behind his resurgence. “Everyone was yelling, it was kind of chaotic, but you gotta find joy and peace through the chaos. That’s what I did. I knew I had to come out and really give it my all in order for us to win, so I went out there in the second half, locked in and tried to play like a Kodiak. (Hurley) asks me that question every day, so knowing if I could be that Kodiak bear, I could be dominant.”

“Tarris was awesome in the second half,” Hurley countered. “In the first half, he wasn’t ready to go. He missed a critical defensive rebound which allowed (Providence) to get a possession, and they hit a three to take a two-point lead. But the second half, he showed his impact, he made some awesome blocks and some timely buckets. He was a beast.”

Mahaney displayed an uncommon versatility on Sunday as well. Maligned at times this year for his lack of defense at points in relation to Hurley’s standard of perfection, the junior guard made up for it by playing three different positions alongside Diarra and Solo Ball throughout the afternoon, drawing praise from the coach in the process as he admitted he should have used Mahaney as a primary ball handler more.

“It would have made more sense to start him from the opener and just have him at that natural point guard position rather than to put a square peg in a round hole there,” Hurley reflected. “I thought you saw today he was on ball some, but for the majority of his minutes in the game, he was able to just kind of create offense, look for his three, go score the ball. I screwed up the early part of the season there.”

Regardless of where or how the Californian serves the Husky backcourt, the position is irrelevant as long as he takes care of his primary mission, aiding in the winning process.

“When you play with a point guard like Hass, that makes it easy,” Mahaney said. “They’re picking up 94 (feet) and not having to worry about it because you know he’s gonna take care of the ball, but I’m just here to help us win. If (Hurley) wants me to play the one, the two, it doesn’t matter to me at all as long as I’m trying to contribute to us winning. On ball, off ball, whatever. It doesn’t matter.”

Finally, there is Diarra. The senior leader knew he needed to shift gears with McNeeley projected to miss the next few weeks as he recovers, and the Corona native filled that role with 17 of his 19 points after the intermission.

“With Liam being out, obviously we need an offensive lift,” Diarra said. “Wherever I can be helpful, whether that’s facilitating or scoring the ball, I just wanted to come in with a mindset of being in attack mode and being aggressive.”

“Whatever you ask Hass to do, he goes and does it,” Hurley proclaimed. “And with Liam out, we need more production from Hass, and he asserted himself more in the game.”

The relationship between a coach and his point guard is arguably the most integral of any player-coach dynamic in a program. When the coach is a former point guard himself, the bond each side forges can be complex, and at times arduous. Shaheen Holloway demands more from his floor generals at Seton Hall, for instance, as does Hurley with whomever is entrusted with running his offense. He admitted as much when discussing how his rapport with Diarra has unfolded, but the senior is indebted to his leader for unwrapping a new facet of his own game.

“Coach never takes it easy on me,” Diarra conceded, cracking a smile. “He holds his point guards to a higher standard because the point guard is the head of the engine. Our relationship has grown the last three years, and I’m super appreciative of him. He’s grown my career to another level.”

His coach heaped plaudits on him several minutes before that.

“I’ve got so much respect for how hard he plays and all the different ways he helps the team in terms of the energy, the competitive fire, the do whatever it takes to win a game,” Hurley added. “I’m very grateful to coach him because he’s a winner and he’s a champion. But it’s a stressful relationship because you’re on him about decision making, and he’s gotta make so many decisions during the gam, maybe 80 percent of them are really good and 20 percent of them aren’t good. Your relationship kind of tilts back and forth between praising him and ripping him.”

Although it will likely find itself inside the Top 10 on Monday when the new polls are released, UConn is still a raw product in a sense, not without its warts. And with two road trips—to Villanova and a resurgent Georgetown—on deck in the coming days, the Huskies are content with not being the juggernaut they were a year ago. To Hurley, the lesser dominance is not as important as the ability to continue to come out on top by any means necessary.

“This team, it has its issues,” he reiterated. “For us, we’re doing anything we can to support our team to find ways to win games. It’s not as dominating and it’s not as highlight film, and it’s not as much a coronation, but at the end of the day, we’re one game behind where we were last year and we’re one game in the league ahead of where we were last year after everything that’s gone on in our season. So I’m really proud of the team, proud that they found a way to dig that game out today, and we gotta address our issues.”

At 10-2, Marist is enjoying best start in decades, but focused on gradual progress

Josh Pascarelli (5) has helped shoot Marist to best start in over a quarter-century. Red Foxes are 10-2 heading into Sunday’s game against Quinnipiac. (Photo by Jaylen Rizzo/Marist Athletics)

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — As the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference becomes more unpredictable year in and year out, the success John Dunne has had this year at Marist—to—this point may be incredibly fitting.

Dunne, the longest-tenured coach in the MAAC between 12 seasons at Saint Peter’s and six-plus at his current employer, has guided the Red Foxes to a 10-2 start, the program’s best since the 1998-99 season, the school’s second in the MAAC after leaving the Northeast Conference. Marist’s 3-0 beginning to conference play is also its first since 2001-02, a stretch that looks to be furthered Sunday when Quinnipiac comes to McCann Arena.

With a veteran core headlined by sophomore guards Josh Pascarelli and Jadin Collins-Roberts, Dunne has added supporting pieces and developed most of his role players from a season ago. In addition, Marist has improved enough offensively to where its efficiency on that side of the basketball would be the third-highest of any Dunne team in Poughkeepsie or at Saint Peter’s. And according to Collins-Roberts, the culture of consistency is the reservoir from which players and coaches have tapped into on an everyday basis.

“Honestly, one of the biggest things, I think, is the confidence that comes from each teammate,” he said. The returning guys like Jackson (Price), (Jaden Daughtry), Trace (Salton), people like that, give Josh confidence. If he misses the first 10 shots, whatever it is, we’re gonna tell him to shoot the 11th. We don’t really care. That’s a big part of it.”

“These two guys right here, they’ve been extremely mature from day one,” Dunne said of Collins-Roberts and Pascarelli. “The first day of summer school, they showed their maturity, and not only are they good players, they’re both winners on and off the court. They’ve got high character. I can coach them extremely hard and they respond positively every time. Most guys nowadays, when you coach them hard or you tell them something, you have to convince them why you’re saying what you’re saying. With these two, it’s like, ‘yes, Coach’ and ‘I’m gonna get better next play and move on.’ And they’ve done that from day one into where they are right now.”

Long reputed for playing one of the slower paces in the country year in and year out, Marist is still only averaging around 65 possessions per game, but the transition game has been more prevalent for the Red Foxes this season. The uptick in getting out in the open floor has been partially by design with the personnel improvements made in the offseason, but also a byproduct of the versatility of the roster and its adaptability to win games in various styles.

“We’d like to get shooters shots in transition, get Josh shots in transition,” Dunne admitted. “We’d like to get Elijah (Lewis) open in space, and then when (Collins-Roberts) gets out in transition in the open court, playing with a high level of confidence, he’s finishing and making great decisions. I think transition suits us well, but we’re okay either way. If we don’t have looks in transition, we’ve got some shorter sets, we’ve got some longer sets, whatever the game calls for. I think we’ve got a little more ball handling, a little more playmaking this year, so it’s easier to get out in transition when you’ve got more playmaking as well.”

“Listen, we’ve won different games different ways this year. We’ve won some slugfests defensively, we’ve won some games in the open court. We’re just trying to get better every day and hopefully play our best basketball in March.”

Dunne has seen more than his share of teams who have peaked too soon, and refuses to get too caught up in his team’s record at the moment. The coach admitted he had not developed a keen enough sense of the conference at large yet, simply going one game at a time with his own unit.

“Kill ’em by one, man, that’s all,” Dunne said. “We just want to win the game any way possible. We’ve just gotta bring a confidence level on offense, keep working on the stuff we need to keep working on, and a defense that makes multiple efforts. The one thing about these guys, regardless of how I’m coaching them, they never feel like they’re out of a game. They never panic. It starts with (Pascarelli and Collins-Roberts) right here, and Daughtry’s really grown up as a player. Jackson Price is extremely mature, you add Elijah Lewis, who’s coachable and is extremely mature, and the bench that’s accepting their roles right now, so we just gotta stay the course, man.”

“We’re not gonna get caught up in the record, but they deserve to be 10-2. We’ve got a long way to go, but it starts with these two guys. We’ve got a high-character group. I would say this, I’ve been saying it the last week or so: When you have a team that buys into coaching, constructive criticism, that has a growth mindset, that does well academically, that cares about one another and plays selfless basketball, from a coach’s standpoint, you don’t take that for granted. I’m blessed to be coaching, and I’m enjoying this group immensely, regardless of the record. It’s been a pleasure to coach these guys up to this point, and the journey is far from over.”

Simmons shines as Gardner-Webb outlasts Presbyterian

By Jacob Conley (@gwujake)

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — Kobe Stewart’s three-point heave at the buzzer was offline as Gardner-Webb picked up a huge conference win on its home floor Saturday afternoon, downing Presbyterian, 63-61 at Paul Porter Arena.

Buddy Simmons led GWU with 16 points, including a pair of clutch free throws in the final seconds, to help seal the win.

“This one felt big,” head coach Jeremy Luther said after the game. “After the loss to Charleston Southern, we did not want to go down 0-2 in Big South play. All the conference games are important and the margins between winning and losing in this league are so thin, it’s always good when you end up on the right side of the ledger.”

GWU found success in the paint early, as Jamaine Mann scored and Anthony Selden converted on drives to the basket. Pharrell Boyogueno also hit a triple as the home team had an early 8-6 lead. Shahar Lazar came off the bench to score four quick points, but Stewart hit a deep three to pull Presbyterian to within 12-11. The visitors then got hot from behind the arc and built a 20-15 lead, and led 22-19 at the under-8 media stoppage.

Selden stopped the streak with a drive to the bucket, but Presbyterian hit another three and forced a pair of turnovers that led to easy points as the Blue Hose grew its lead to double digits, at 33-23. Selden scored on a drive to the basket and Isaiah Richards garnered a putback. Simmons then hit a three and scored on a drive to the basket as part of a 10-0 run that tied the game at 33. After Kaleb Scott scored, Simmons beat the buzzer with a floater as the teams entered the locker room tied at 37.

Selden opened the second half with a sweeping hook shot, and Simmons had a fast break layup. Lazar also scored on a putback, as did Richards. By the time Richards threw down a slam, and Boyogueno hit a pair of foul shots, GWU had its largest lead of the game to that point, at 47-39.

Kory Mincy ended the run and the turnover bug bit the Bulldogs. The Blue Hose pulled to within 49-46 before Stewart tied things up at 49 with a deep three with 7:11 left in the contest. After the teams traded baskets, Simmons hit a deep three. Mann followed with a big bucket in the paint as the home team kept its three-point lead, at 57-54, with 3:27 left. Mincy tied the game at 58 with a short jumper, then Boyogueno hit two big free throws on the other end as the advantage kept swinging back-and-forth. Mann grabbed a huge offensive rebound with GWU protecting a two-point lead, and after Simmons hit two foul shots, the home team led, 62-58. Jamahri Harvey hit a circus shot from beyond the arc with four seconds left. Richards was fouled and hit one of two from the stripe to set up Stewart’s heave at the buzzer that went wide right, accounting for the 63-61 final.

The Buddy System: After seeing limited action last season as a freshman, Buddy Simmons has emerged as one of the best players in the Big South as a sophomore. He leads Gardner-Webb with 15.9 points per game, and also tops the team in assists, field goal, and free throw percentage.

“It feels good to impact the game on both the offensive and defensive side,” he said. “I was missing shots early, but I started to find my rhythm there at the end of the first half. As for those foul shots at the end, it’s all about confidence.”

High Praise For PC: Even though they have had some fierce battles over the years, GWU and Presbyterian have had some fierce battles over the years, as they are a pair of programs that have the utmost respect for one another.

“Coach (Quinton) Ferrell does an amazing job,” Luther said. “They have some big wins against some top-quality teams, and then they gave South Carolina all they wanted. They play hard and they have some great shooters. This was a quality win for us.”

(High)Blood Pressure Baptists: Anybody who has seen any Gardner-Webb basketball games this season knows that the Runnin’ Bulldogs have a penchant for close games, causing fans’  blood pressure to skyrocket. In fact, of GWU’s 15 games, ten have been decided by two possessions or less.

“The Big South is a strong league,” Luther said. “I think we are 16th out of 32 conferences as far as RPI. We have some big wins as a conference, and not much separates us from top to bottom. Every game is going to come down to the end I feel like, so buckle up.”

UP NEXT: GWU (6-9, 1-1 Big South) will host Winthrop on Wednesday, while Presbyterian (8-9, 1-1) will travel to play USC Upstate the same evening. Both tips are set for 7 p.m.

Colimerio breaks records as Queens breaks FGCU in wire-to-wire win

 

Queens forward Leo Colimerio set career and Queens single-game bests in Saturday's win over FGCU.  (Photo:  Queens University of Charlotte Athletics)

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CHARLOTTE – A simple smile can say a lot. The smile on Queens forward Leo Colimerio’s face Saturday could have written a trilogy.

The grad transfer from Fresno State did everything but run the concession stand in Curry Arena Saturday. The 6-foot-7 guard/forward tallied a career-high 35 points, set a Queens single-game high, and had arguably the most impactful performance by a Royal in recent memory. Queens started strong, battled through the second half, and finished with a hard-fought, 92-83 victory over Florida Gulf Coast Saturday afternoon in Curry Arena.

“(The performance) just means a lot to me individually,” Colimerio said. “It feels good for the guys. We worked so hard throughout the summer. I’m glad they were able to find me. We’ve been working hard every day, especially at finishing out games. It just feels good that we got the win and protected home court.”

Queens (9-6, 2-0 ASUN) shook off the short turnaround between games and was the aggressor early on. The Royals raced out to a 15-4 lead, with Colimerio booking 10 of the first 12 points for the home side. Queens would compel a pair of FGCU stoppages in the first half, with Eagles coach Pat Chambers pulling every lever to try to halt the Royals’ momentum. A Bryce Cash layup with 7:29 remaining in the half provided the Royals their biggest margin of the day at 17, and FGCU could never close within single digits for the remainder of the half.

Despite the deficit, the tension lingered in the air in the expectation that the visiting Eagles would make a run. The process started with the first second-half possession.

FGCU (6-9, 1-1) opened the period by feeding Keeshawn Kellman in the post. Kellman connected on a short jumper and a layup to snip the Queens lead to eight a minute and a half into the period. Kellman’s Queens counterpart, Malcolm Wilson, put home a layup to extend the lead back to 11. That comfort would be short-lived.

FGCU unfurled a 14-4 burst over the next 5:15, trimming the Queens advantage to a perilous point at 60-59 with 11:45 remaining. Colimerio had the answer on the other end, getting a layup to again put Queens ahead by three. The sides would continue trading blows, with the Queens margin hovering between one and six points for minutes.

Queens faced a similar flurry in its league opener Thursday night against Stetson, preaching patience and positivity throughout the run. The answer Saturday was nearly identical.

“We don’t change what we do,” head coach Grant Leonard said. “We make small adjustments, but really, it’s about needing to get back to who we are (during runs).”

“We just have our philosophy of playing harder than everybody else, especially at home,” Colimerio added. “I feel we did a really good job overall.”

One of those challenges came with Queens tightly gripping an 80-77 advantage inside of four minutes to play. Jaxon Pollard took the ball for Queens and went coast-to-coast, finishing through contact and putting his side ahead by five. On the ensuing possession, Colimerio pilfered the ball from Kellman under the Royals’ bucket and put home a layup to extend the lead to seven.

“I just feel I’ve got to do better on the defensive end,” Colimerio said. “Like (Leonard) says, if you play hard, the basketball gods are going to reward you. I just felt that play rewarded me after a missed shot.”

“Leo’s getting better and better and more comfortable offensively, but it’s the defensive plays that always end up winning games,” Leonard said. “It’s the loose balls, it’s the rebounds and the box-outs. I thought that was the difference in the game. Our physicality boxing out in the first half really shocked them.”

Pollard would then convert on a bucket that put Queens ahead by nine. FGCU could never recover from the final flurry, drawing no closer than six points before the final horn.

“I asked our leaders in the group text if we could really be locked in today,” Leonard said. “I thought our shootaround was excellent. The maturity for them to be able to really turn it on and really focus – I thought we were really locked in today.”

Colimerio finished with 37 points on 13-for-16 shooting (6-for-8 from distance), setting both career and Queens single-game highs. Colimerio’s prior career high of 30 came for Fresno State against UNLV in February of 2024. The Queens single-game best eclipses that of former star guard Kenny Dye, who logged 34 on February 16, 2023, at Jacksonville State. Colimerio also pulled in three rebounds while avoiding any turnovers on the day.

Cash contributed 11, hitting 4-of-9 from the field while hauling in five boards and dishing three dimes. Wilson faced arguably his most physical challenge of the year in battling Kellman but did stellar work in doing so. Wilson scored 10 points on 5-for-5 from the field, grabbing seven caroms and turning away five FGCU shots in a performance that Colimerio called “amazing”.

“If you could say a perfect game for Malcolm, that would probably be it,” Leonard said. “I thought he was phenomenal. They went at him in the start of the second half and he didn’t get rattled. They tried to go at him again and he blocked one late, and they stopped going at him. I’m proud of Malcolm. I just don’t think people understand how much progress he’s made as a player and the confidence it’s given him. I don’t know that anyone in our league has anyone like Malcolm. That kind of lob threat with that kind of rim protection – he changes our team.”

Queens shot 51.7 percent (31-for-60) on the day, adding 12-of-29 (41.4 percent) from deep. The Royals start ASUN play 2-0 for the first time in their Division I era.

FGCU guard Dallion Johnson paced the Eagles with 22 points, hitting 7-of-15 from the deck and 6-of-13 from beyond the arc. Kellman scored 15 but could manage just six boards while battling foul trouble in his 27 minutes of action. Guard Rahmir Barno added 12 while dishing out nine helpers, though Queens guard Chris Ashby drew praise from Leonard on his defensive effort in limiting Barno.

The Eagles shot 44.8 percent (30-for-67) on the day. 12 of FGCU’s 27 threes (44.4 percent) found the net.

Both teams return to action Thursday night in ASUN play. Queens visits Allen Arena in Nashville to square off with Lipscomb. Game time is set for 8:00 (Eastern). FGCU returns to Alico Arena in Fort Myers to welcome North Alabama. That game is set to tip at 7:00. Both games will be streamed via ESPN+.

QUEENS 92, FGCU 83

FGCU (6-9, 1-1 ASUN)

Stewart 3-6 0-0 9, Kellman 7-13 1-6 15, McLean 3-8 2-3 9, Johnson 7-15 2-2 22, Muniz 3-7 2-2 10, Barno 5-13 2-2 12, Duax 2-5 2-2 6, Guillouette 0-0 0-0 0, Reddick 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-67 11-17 83.

QUEENS (9-6, 2-0)

Colimerio 12-15 5-5 37, Wilson 5-5 0-1 10, Mathews 0-1 2-2 2, Cash 4-9 3-5 11, Ashby 2-11 0-0 6, Pollard 3-7 2-3 8, Mann 1-4 2-3 5, Jabriel 1-3 2-2 5, Berman 2-4 0-0 6, Anderson 0-0 2-2 2. Totals 31-60 18-23 92.

Halftime:  Stetson 41-39. 3-Point goals:  Stetson 13-29 (Massey 1-2, Wood 4-8, Phillips 0-1, Ellison 4-6, Gross 0-1, Canka 2-4, Taylor 1-2, Sheridan 0-1, MacGregor 0-1, Sagna 0-1, Alesso 1-1), Queens 12-29 (Colimerio 6-8, Ashby 2-10, Cash 0-1, Pollard 1-4, Berman 1-2, Mann 1-3, Jabriel 1-1). Fouled out:  NA.  Rebounds:  Queens 33 (Cash 7), Stetson 23 (Massey 6). Total fouls:  Stetson 23, Queens 22. Technicals:  NA

Points off turnovers:  Queens 19, Stetson 10.  Points in the paint:  Queens 36, Stetson 26. Second-chance points:  Stetson 7, Queens 5.  Fast-break points:  Queens 22, Stetson 14.  Bench points:  Stetson 29, Queens 29.

 

Hofstra’s anniversary party thwarted by William & Mary as Pride drops CAA opener

Jaquan Sanders led Hofstra with 15 points Thursday, but Pride dropped CAA opener to William & Mary. (Photo by Matteo Bracco/Hofstra Athletics)

By Jason Dimaio (@Jaydimaio)

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — Five years ago to the day Thursday, Hofstra celebrated the 20th anniversary of its debut at what is now the Mack Sports Complex, but the Pride suffered a 27-point loss to William & Mary.

Hofstra welcomed the same Tribe program to Long Island again Thursday to mark the silver milestone for its on-campus arena, but history repeated itself.

Despite opening the game on a 10-2 run, the Pride saw Jaquan Sanders’ back-to-back threes answered by a torrid display of marksmanship as William & Mary turned back the hosts in a 74-56 decision that served as the Coastal Athletic Association opener for both sides.

“I have no thoughts on it,” head coach Speedy Claxton assessed with regard to the momentous occasion. “We’re focusing on the next game.”

Claxton can be forgiven for wanting to have a short memory Thursday, as Hofstra (8-6, 0-1 CAA) dropped its third straight as William & Mary responded to the Pride’s opening salvo with a staggering 46-8 onslaught. The Tribe led by as many as 30 points in a first half that saw Claxton use all four of his timeouts as he looked for whatever spark he could find to ignite his team. The length of William & Mary presented problems throughout the evening for Hofstra, who was forced to try to keep the visitors at bay from beyond the arc as the Tribe packed the paint. The attempt was in vain, as the Pride’s three leading scorers—Sanders, Cruz Davis, and Jean Aranguren—shot a combined 11-for-42 from the field.

After the intermission, Hofstra kept a good effort, cutting its deficit to 15 midway through the second half. That was as close as the Pride would get, however, as William & Mary scored the next six points after that to ice the outcome in comfortable fashion. TJ Gadsden and Joshua DeCady were among the bright spots for Claxton’s unit Thursday, with the pair combining for 18 points and missing just one shot in a productive second half. DeCady was the most efficient Hofstra player Thursday, recording a plus-14. Claxton hinted at trying to find more minutes for him, as well as Gadsden, on a night where he chalked up the Pride’s effort as making the best of what the Tribe had given his team.

“I don’t think we were settling,” he said. “Those were the shots that they were giving us. You have to step up and make the shot. Our guys have to shoot the ball with confidence. We gotta just get in the gym, get up extra shots and get to game speed. If those are shots that the defense is going to give you, you have to step up and make them.”

Hofstra will look to right the ship in fairly short order, when the Pride returns to action Saturday at Northeastern. Tipoff from Boston is set for 12 p.m.

Queens gets great nights from Colimerio and Ashby in conference-opening win over Stetson

 

Queens forward Leo Colimerio led the Royals with 27 points in Thursday's ASUN opener win over Stetson.  (Photo:  Queens University of Charlotte Athletics)

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CHARLOTTE – After 20 minutes of play in the ASUN conference opener, Queens found itself trailing, 41-39, against two-win Stetson. This might have induced panic in some teams.

Queens coach Grant Leonard had a different – though consistent – message for his side:  Patience.

The message clearly paid off. Queens started the second half by hitting seven of its first eight shots and turned away every challenge from a game Stetson team, taking a 96-87 decision in the conference lid-lifter Thursday night at Curry Arena.

“I actually told our guys we were going to wear them down. I thought we were in better physical shape,” Leonard said. “The first nine minutes (of the game) we had 11 points, and after that, we really started getting to our spots and stopped turning it over. We just started to feel comfortable.”

The Royals may have gotten comfortable as the second half got underway, but that was certainly not the case early on. Stetson (2-12, 0-1 ASUN) canned four threes in the game’s first seven minutes, riding the 1-2 scoring punch of Mekhi Ellison and Jordan Wood to a quick 18-6 advantage. Queens (8-6, 1-0) slowly began to chip away. Five of the next seven Royal shots found the net, slicing the deficit by greater than half.

Forward Leo Colimerio would continue the home side’s surge, sticking back-to-back triples that provided Queens a 29-28 lead with 4:49 to go in the first half. After the visiting Hatters leveled the table at 36, they pushed out to a five-point advantage that Chris Ashby sliced to just a pair with a three with 1:11 left in the first half.

Queens took on the role of the aggressor out of the break. Ashby gave the Royals a one-point lead with a three, followed by a Colimerio bucket, a layup from Kalib Mathews, and another Ashby trifecta that put the Royals ahead by six. Ashby was afforded a number of rhythm looks due to his team’s offensive aggression, and he capitalized by tying a school record with eight made threes.

“Chris is Chris,” Leonard said. “Shooters gotta shoot. I tell him we want to get him 12 threes a game. He took 13, so one more than we asked him to. The only time I ever yell at Chris is when he doesn’t shoot. He’s doing an unbelievable job. I’ve seen his game get better and better every year. I’m just proud of Chris for the effort he puts in.”

Queens took a six-point advantage to the under-12 timeout. Stetson, though, would have another answer.

The Hatters tore off a 9-0 run, charged by threes from Abramo Canka and Andrew Taylor and an and-one from Wood that put Stetson ahead by three. The sides would then trade the lead back and forth, with neither side able to separate by more than a possession or two for nearly seven minutes.

If the game were a heavyweight fight, Queens would score the TKO in the penultimate round.

Ellison sank a three to again bring Stetson within three at 82-79 with 3:28 remaining. Queens would counter that perilous thinning of its lead. Jaxon Pollard hit a three. Ashby hit a three. Colimerio put home a layup and sank a pair of free throws. The crowd could finally exhale a bit, as Queens opened up a 13-point margin. Stetson could never recover, and drew no closer than seven points the rest of the contest.

“I’ve seen a lot of growth from the first game to this game,” Leonard said. “(I’ve seen growth in) rebounding, loose balls, and ball security. I think we had four turnovers in the second half, and that’s the recipe to winning in conference play.”

To Leonard’s point, though Queens recorded 12 miscues, Stetson could only convert those into 10 points, owing to the Royals’ quickness and stamina. Queens booked 19 points off 13 Hatter turnovers.

The effort and energy of the night was not lost on Ashby.

“We just play for each other,” Ashby said. “That’s really big for our team. We love each other and celebrate each other’s successes. I think this is going to help us a lot.”

Ashby and Colimerio both had career nights. Colimerio logged 27 points for the second time in three games, while Ashby’s eight threes all came at key times on the way to his equaling the school record for made threes in a game. The Royals shot 43 percent from deep and made 12 threes, adding to their 53.6 percent (30-for-56) ledger on the night.

“I saw they were switching everything,” Ashby said. “I was trying to read the defense. Sometimes they were staying with me. I knew that if I set screens, I would get myself open.”

Guard Kalib Mathews also finished in doubles for Queens, logging 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting and helping on five buckets. Leonard also credited Mathews with his defensive activity on Ellison, as the Royals limited him to just four field goal attempts in the second half. The Queens bench also added 29 points in reserve duty, earning plaudits from Leonard.

“I thought they were excellent,” Leonard said of his bench. “(Forward) Maban (Jabriel) has been coming on for a while. I thought he made a lot of key plays. (Forward Yoav) Berman is really shooting the ball well for the season. He does a lot of really good things for us. (Forward) Jaxon (Pollard) has been so rock solid for us. I think they’re really understanding what their roles are and what their strengths are.  I think that, as we’re playing teams, we’re more experienced this year for the first time ever in Division I.”

Wood and Ellison were responsible for much of the Hatters’ offense. The duo booked 48 points on the night, knocking down 13-of-23 tries from the field and hitting eight combined threes. Wood’s 25 were accompanied by three boards, while Ellison knocked down all seven free throw tries as part of his 23. Canka tallied 12 and Josh Massey 10 for the Hatters, who shot 48.2 percent (27-for-56) on the game. Stetson drained 13 triples of their own on 29 tries (44.8 percent).

Both teams return to play Saturday afternoon. Queens hosts Florida Gulf Coast in Curry Arena, with tip time set for 1:00 (Eastern). Stetson travels to West Georgia for a 2:00 tip from The Arena in Carrollton, Ga. Both games will be streamed via ESPN+.

QUEENS 96, STETSON 87

STETSON (2-12, 0-1 ASUN)

Massey 4-9 1-2 10, Wood 7-13 7-9 25, Phillips 0-2 0-0 0, Ellison 6-10 7-7 23, Gross 0-1 0-0 0, Canka 4-7 2-3 12, Taylor 1-3 1-2 4, Sheridan 3-5 0-0 6, MacGregor 1-3 2-2 4, Sagna 0-1 0-0 0, Alesso 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 27-56 20-25.

QUEENS (8-6, 1-0)

Colimerio 8-11 9-10 27, Wilson 1-3 1-2 3, Mathews 5-7 0-0 11, Cash 1-4 0-0 2, Ashby 8-13 0-0 24, Pollard 2-5 1-2 6, Berman 1-2 2-3 4, Mann 1-4 5-8 7, Jabriel 3-7 2-2 8, Anderson 0-0 4-4 4. Totals 30-56 24-31 96.

Halftime:  Stetson 41-39. 3-Point goals:  Stetson 13-29 (Massey 1-2, Wood 4-8, Phillips 0-1, Ellison 4-6, Gross 0-1, Canka 2-4, Taylor 1-2, Sheridan 0-1, MacGregor 0-1, Sagna 0-1, Alesso 1-1), Queens 12-28 (Colimerio 2-3, Mathews 1-3, Ashby 8-13, Pollard 1-2, Berman 0-1, Mann 0-2, Jabriel 0-4). Fouled out:  NA.  Rebounds:  Queens 33 (Cash 7), Stetson 23 (Massey 6). Total fouls:  Stetson 23, Queens 22. Technicals:  NA

Points off turnovers:  Queens 19, Stetson 10.  Points in the paint:  Queens 36, Stetson 26. Second-chance points:  Stetson 7, Queens 5.  Fast-break points:  Queens 22, Stetson 14.  Bench points:  Stetson 29, Queens 29.

 

Inside the Numbers: USC Upstate at Winthrop

Winthrop forward KJ Doucet poured in 20 points in the second half of the Eagles' 95-76, Big South opening victory over USC Upstate Thursday.  (Photo:  Winthrop Athletics/Professional Photography Group)

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ROCK HILL, S.C. – Big South play began for all but one team Thursday. Winthrop struggled to create separation from pesky USC Upstate – until one simple segment changed everything.

Now that I’ve told you the Eagles won, we need to dive into how they won, 95-76. Let’s go…Inside the Numbers!

• Let’s dissect the segment to which I referred. Andrew McConnell splashed a triple for Upstate to square the game at 66 with 10 minutes remaining. When Mister Dean made the next Upstate basket, Winthrop saw its lead shrink to 91-69. Dean would score the final six Spartan points, but none of them mattered.
• The Eagles tore off a blinding 25-0 run in the midst of the second half, with KJ Doucet making buckets to start and close the spurt. Winthrop made eight of nine tries during the segment, shoving away the visitors. Upstate dangled perilously close to danger for much of the second half, as it could never grow its lead past eight at any point in the game. The inability of Upstate to string stops – Winthrop collected 1.377 points per possession on 69 trips – doomed the Spartans.
• Winthrop again struggled from distance, hitting just six of 19 (31.6 percent) behind the arc. That, of course, didn’t really matter, given that the Eagles were an absolutely stupid 28-of-37 (75.7 percent) from two-point range. Winthrop also got to the line a lot – as usual – and didn’t shoot it great from there – again, as usual – in hitting 67.7 percent (21-for-31).
• Winthrop scored on 65.2 percent of its trips. I don’t have the numbers to confirm it, but that has to be their top output against a Division I team this season. If not, it’s close.
• Fouls were a significant storyline for the already-thin Spartans. Upstate had both Breylin Garcia and Mister Dean foul out after playing much of the second half with four apiece. Isaiah Skinner tallied four, while Nic Book and Brit Harris had three each. Any team that can somehow figure out how to both keep Winthrop from getting downhill and defend them without fouling stands a chance.  Otherwise, forget it.
• Doucet went off in the second 20. The Austell, Ga., native had just two points in the opening stanza, making just one of his three tries. He got more looks in the second, making almost every one of them. Doucet’s 7-of-8 performance in the period gave him 22 points on the night. Doucet also hauled in 11 caroms to record his second double-double in as many games, following a 14-point, 12-board effort at Indiana over the weekend.
• Dean and guard Carmelo Adkins were the key performers for the Spartans in the second period. The pair booked 20 of Upstate’s 37 second-half points, making 6-of-11 tries. The rest of the roster was just 6-for-19 (31.6 percent) in the half.
• Upstate struggled to get to the line but found success when it did. The Spartans were 14-of-16 (87.5 percent) from the stripe.
• Winthrop predicates its offense on creating paint touches. The Eagles did that all afternoon, outscoring the Spartans by a striking 56-32 margin in the garnet. This should ease the sting of Winthrop’s 13-12 offensive rebounds deficit in the contest.
• Five Eagles finished in doubles. Kelton Talford led everybody with yet another double-double, logging 25 points and 12 boards. Doucet’s double-double was close behind. Nick Johnson scored 16 on 5-of-8 from the deck, while Kasen Harrison poured in 14 on 6-of-10. Paul Jones was 5-of-8 (2-for-5 from deep) to finish with 12 for Winthrop, who shot 60.7 percent (34-of-56).
• Upstate placed four in double figures. Dean’s 17 paced the Spartan attack, with seven of his 12 attempts circling home. Adkins contributed 14 despite just a 4-for-12 shooting day, while McConnell and Skinner added 11 apiece. Upstate shot 40 percent from the field (26-of-65) and three (10-of-25).

UP NEXT:  Winthrop (11-5, 1-0 Big South) travels to the Dedmon Center in Radford, Va., to take on the Radford Highlanders. Tip time in the New River Valley is set for 4:30pm Saturday, with streaming coverage on ESPN+ and radio on WRAD (Radford) and 90s on 94.3 (Rock Hill). Upstate (4-12, 0-1) returns to action six days from today, hosting nearby rival Presbyterian. Tip time for the Spartans and Blue Hose is set for 7:00 on Wednesday, Jan. 8, inside the Hodge Center in Spartanburg.

Harper’s historic triple-double sends Rutgers back to Big Ten play on a high

Dylan Harper surveys floor en route to Rutgers’ first triple-double since 1983 Monday. (Photo by Rutgers Athletics)

By Sam Federman (@Sam_Federman)

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Sixteen points, twelve assists, eleven rebounds.

That was Dylan Harper’s stat line on Monday. No Rutgers player, not even his older brother, had recorded a triple-double since 1983. He also became the first freshman to notch a triple-double against a Division I opponent this season.

He’s not rubbing it into his brother’s face though.

“It’s not really one-upping him,” the younger Harper said. “If I’m being honest, that’s the guy I looked up to when I was younger, and just being out there and not trying to do what he hasn’t done, but just filling his shoes.”

His performance pushed Rutgers to a 91-64 victory closing out non-conference play against Columbia, moving the Scarlet Knights to 8-5. Harper scored 13 of his 16 in the second half, where Rutgers outscored Columbia by 18 points.

In the opening minutes, the Scarlet Knights got wherever they wanted, scoring in transition, in the half court, from beyond the arc, and from inside. Less than five minutes in, it was 18-6, and Columbia went to a zone.

The 2-3 zone bothered Rutgers for a moment, but Ace Bailey quickly started to destroy it playing in the middle. Bailey scored 17 points in the first half, displaying the ability to put the ball in the basket from anywhere on the floor. The Scarlet Knights had 26 assists and just four turnovers, including the 12 dimes with just one turnover for Harper.

“The way we passed the ball today, man or zone, it wouldn’t matter,” head coach Steve Pikiell said. “We were very efficient and we didn’t turn the basketball over. I think we’re really good against zones, so even though we didn’t think they’d play a ton of it, we had to be prepared.”

With the lead cut to eight early in the second half, Harper went on a personal 7-3 run. He drained three-pointer and then two quick layups where he arrived at the rim with little resistance. It brought him from a half-dozen points to 13, and activated the triple-double watch. When he found Bailey for a layup in the paint to give him the triple-double with under five minutes to play, he ran over to his teammate.

“He told me after (that he had a triple-double),” Bailey said. “He was like, ‘thank you.’”

Rutgers is a very flawed basketball team. It ranks below 60th in both offense and defense, has dropped games to Kennesaw State and Princeton away from the RAC, and has struggled with some stingy defenses from mid-majors at home. But with Harper and Bailey, the Scarlet Knights have what it takes to have performances like this, where it all clicks, and it looks majestic.

For years, Rutgers’ identity has been on the defensive side of the ball, but that changed this year with the roster built around the two superstars, who have lived up to the hype, and in Harper’s case, vastly exceeded it. Ranked 100th in defense, Rutgers isn’t where it usually is under Pikiell, but has what it takes to beat any team on any night. Columbia may not be as strong an example of that as some of the teams the Scarlet Knights will face when returning to the Big Ten slate, but Rutgers hopes that the effort over the Lions is a big step in terms of finding the right formula for preparation.

“We had a really good week of practice,” Pikiell said. “Our prep was really good. You’re always worried coming back from break, but they were focused, and we have to continue to do that. You play how you practice, and we’ve been inconsistent with that. We need to be good, and we were good this week, but we have to be great moving forward.”

It’s an easy spot to overlook, coming back from break with a buy game before conference play, especially with a team that moves off the ball as well as Columbia does, but Rutgers proved up to the task. For Harper, who is now averaging 22.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, shooting 52 percent from the field, the preparation difference was stark this week versus others.

“Seeing how locked in we’ve been recently,” Harper said. “I think the attention to detail we all have, the film watching we all had, and just the biggest thing is sticking together and being a group. We’re going to compete against each other hard every day.”

Heading into Big Ten play, Rutgers faces Indiana at Assembly Hall on Thursday, a place where Ron Harper, Jr. led the Scarlet Knights to wins in 2021 and 2022. The 2022 win came on a buzzer-beater, on Dylan’s 16th birthday.

“(Ron) was like ‘that’s a little birthday present’,” Dylan said, reminiscing.

Can Harper and Bailey deliver a New Year’s present to the Rutgers fan base? A fan base clamoring to see its most hyped team in program history play up to its potential hopes so.

On Creighton’s efficiency in win over St. John’s and as a whole

By Ray Floriani (@rfloriani)

There are two ways to look at efficiency. First, of course, by the numbers, and then, the all-important eye test.

In Creighton’s 75-56 victory over St. John’s Saturday, the Bluejays rang up a 110 offensive

efficiency, holding the host Red Storm to just 82. Generally speaking, teams want to reach 100 or

better on the offensive end, while limiting the opposition to double figures. Coach Jim Flanery’s Bluejays (10-3, 2-0 Big East) accomplished both of those goals Saturday.

The eye test also bore out the outstanding efficiency of Creighton on the offensive end, showcased through four or five-out sets with spacing, constant motion, off-ball screens and cutters going to the hoop to receive pinpoint passes from the top or the wings, all the essence of a clinic in offensive execution. Having several players in the lineup capable of hitting from deep makes the Bluejays a very difficult team to guard.

Lauren Jensen, a 5-foot-10 senior and the game’s

leading scorer against St. John’s with 23 points, is a

40 percent shooter from downtown. Morgan Maly (16 points), a 6-foot-1 forward, can also play inside, but is equally as formidable when stepping out

beyond the arc, to the tune of 45 percent shooting from distance. As a team, Creighton’s effective field goal percentage is a blistering 54 percent, good for 20th-best in the nation.

Flanery has a team not just skilled in shooting, but in

caring for the ball as well. The Bluejays commit just 11 turnovers per game (fourth-fewest nationally) with a turnover percentage of 14 percent (11th-best in the nation).

Getting back to efficiency, Creighton’s average on

the offensive end is 108. With the Big East schedule

just two games old, a conference reading is subject to too small a sample. However, the Bluejays rank 30th nationally in that category. On two occasions this year, they have been under 100 in offensive efficiency, once in a mid-November loss to a Kansas State ranked tenth in the country, the other being the December setback to top-ranked UCLA, who limited Creighton to a season-low 61. No disgrace in that

situation, just ask South Carolina. The defense allows a 94 metric, at 226th. That is one of the very few numbers Creigton posts in the lower 50 percent of the national rankings. Regardless, a 93 is an above-average number on the defensive end.

The numbers simply bear out what an observer not versed in the numerology of tempo-free statistics

would know. Creighton is a model of efficiency, its

offense running on all cylinders with crisp passes and weak-side players making sharp cuts and a propensity to share the ball, evidenced by 17 assists per outing, 29th-best in the nation. It all adds up to a basketball connoisseur’s delight, a team that is a joy to watch from a purist’s angle.

A joy to watch, except if you’re on the opposing bench.

Iona’s conclusion to 2024 “frustrating” to Anderson, who now resets as Gaels face Marist

Tobin Anderson has expressed consternation amid Iona’s early struggles. Gaels are 4-9 with MAAC play resuming Friday. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — Tobin Anderson went into Sunday thinking his Iona team was prime to turn a corner in its final non-conference matchup of the season.

After the Gaels had, in the coach’s view, a satisfactory practice leading up to their game against Harvard, why wouldn’t the coach be encouraged by a light at the end of a tunnel that appeared winding and circuitous at various times this season?

For a time in the second half Sunday, Anderson’s vision manifested as Iona fought from an inconsistent first half to build a five-point lead with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation. But yet another inconsistent stretch came at the most inopportune time as Harvard ripped off a 12-0 run to steal momentum—and ultimately, a 67-61 win—from the homestanding Gaels at the Hynes Athletics Center.

“I was really excited because I thought we had turned a corner,” Anderson lamented. “I thought we practiced well (Saturday) and we were gonna play well, and we didn’t. If you don’t play as hard as you could play, as together as you can play and as tough as you can play every night out, you’re gonna be in trouble. And that’s what we don’t have right now. We’re a little bit too concerned about our own situation than the team situation. Basketball’s the ultimate team game. You’ve gotta play for each other, and right now, we’re not. And we’ve gotta keep getting better at that.”

“We didn’t act like a mature team. When you’re up by four or five, you gotta get it to seven or eight. We turned it over at some crucial times and we didn’t get great shots. We’ve got guards living on jumpers, so we gotta do a better job of that.”

Iona’s offense, which Anderson desires to be an uptempo outfit regularly scoring 80 or more points per game, has sputtered more often than not during its 4-9 start to the season. Dejour Reaves and Adam Njie have performed admirably as the senior-freshman backcourt pairing this season, with James Patterson providing an understated impact alongside them in his first Division I season. But after that, a number of question marks remain. Anderson has shaken up his lineup, played all-experienced hands, let some of his younger players undergo a baptism by fire at some points as well. However, each trial has ultimately reached the same impasse.

“To be a good offensive team, you gotta do things for each other,” he pleaded. “We’re not doing enough of that right now. It’s like having a team that’s young, inexperienced and not been together. The problem is we’re not young, we’re not inexperienced. We have some older guys who we need more out of. I don’t think we’re playing with a great purpose right now, and that irritates me a little bit. What are we trying to do?”

“It’s just been frustrating, as you could probably tell. There’s an energy level we can get to, but we don’t do it consistently. I thought we showed a little bit of energy—(Justin) Menard comes in and gives us energy, I thought Yaphet (Moundi) played his ass off—we need that from every guy, plain and simple. We’re not this offensive juggernaut, so we have to play that way.”

Moore's career-best propels Norfolk State to road win at High Point

 

Norfolk State guard Brian Moore scored a career-best 33 in Sunday's victory at High Point.  (Photo:  Norfolk State Athletics)

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HIGH POINT, N.C. – Norfolk State basketball is past the point of surprising anyone.

The Spartans are favored to win the MEAC this season, they have a highly-respected coach, and they will get everyone’s best shot every time they take the floor. Those reasons played into High Point’s desire to get Norfolk State on its schedule.

After Sunday, High Point has a lot to review and little time to do so – but don’t tell them that’s a negative.

Norfolk State guard Brian Moore guided the Spartans from beginning to end – including hitting the two free throws that sealed the outcome – in scoring 33 points on 13-of-21 shooting as the Spartans held off High Point, 77-74, before an announced crowd of 2,743 at the Qubein Center.

“We thought we had a pretty solid plan for him,” High Point coach Alan Huss said of Moore. “We really let him split way too often. We got spread out and he really filleted us. He snaked some middle pick-and-rolls. He just lived in the paint and was way too comfortable.

“We knew this was a hard game when we scheduled it. We thought it would be a great test prior to the conference season. They were better than us. They had a better plan than us. They executed that plan better. They were the better team today.”

Norfolk State (9-6) broke the seal on a Kuluel Mading three on its first possession, then surrendered an early lead on a Kimani Hamilton triple that squared the contest at seven apiece. Chase Johnston gave High Point the lead on its next possession, followed by his being assessed a technical foul for his response to the made basket.

“You get a technical for shooting an arrow or whatever the heck he did,” Huss said. “Everybody does it on every made three. I didn’t like it, but it ended up being the difference in the game, maybe. We had three times we stepped out of bounds. We missed two dunks. We missed a number of other layups.”

After another Johnston triple put High Point ahead, 15-14, Christian Ings hit a floater to put Norfolk State back in front. The Spartans controlled the advantage for much of the remainder of the half, interrupted by a D’Maurian Williams triple that gave the Panthers a 34-33 advantage. Moore then hit a jumper that keyed a quick 6-0 burst to close the half and give Norfolk State a 39-34 margin at the interval.

High Point (12-3) eliminated the deficit just four minutes into the second half, using a trio of Johnston threes from increasing areas of difficulty to surge ahead, 46-45. Johnston would add another to give the Panthers a four-point lead. Moore would then counter on the opposite end to pull the Spartans within two, followed by a Tyrel Bladen hook that drew the game back level. Two Moore free throws would give Norfolk back the advantage.

Norfolk State would gradually extend its lead to nine just past the eight-minute mark, as Chris Fields put home a free throw. The Spartans continued to lead by multiple possessions for the next several minutes, despite being unable to capitalize on several tries to extend the game into double digits. 

High Point had one more remaining surge, though.

The Panthers tore off an 8-2 burst in a minute and a half, with Johnston and Kezza Giffa sinking threes before a Kimani Hamilton bucket sliced the Norfolk lead to one and induced a timeout from Spartans coach Robert Jones. Moore had the answer out of the stoppage, putting home a leaner that moved the Spartans back ahead by three. Moore again connected on a short jumper following two Giffa free throws, giving the visitors a 75-72 lead with 23 seconds remaining.

High Point had a look to tie the game on its final full possession, but Simon Hildebrandt’s three-point attempt fell short. Williams boarded the miss and put home a bucket, but High Point had little more it could do than foul Moore and watch him sink the final two free throws of the game.

“They made a good defensive play,” Huss said of Norfolk State’s defense on the final try. “We were trying to run a play that we’ve run a few times in the past – we were trying to run the counter to it. They did a nice job of staying attached. I really thought we’d catch them sleeping and we’d get Simon a step in and we didn’t. We didn’t execute it very well.”

Moore’s 33 led the Spartans and all scorers. The graduate student from Harlem eclipsed his prior career-high of 31, set against William & Mary in November. Moore made 13 shots – also a career-high.

“I think that was the game. I think (spacing) was the issue,” Huss said of his team’s defensive effort on Moore. “You can reduce it really to that. Can you, at the end of the day, make him give the basketball up? He’s such a long strider. He does a lot of things that guards don’t really do at this level a ton. He’s so good at it. On top of that, he makes us pay – he ends up with six assists and 33 points. He was the difference in the game. He was the best guard on the floor and the best player on the floor today.”

Ings added 12 for the Spartans, putting home 5-of-6 tries from the field. Norfolk State shot 53.8 percent from the field (28-for-52), despite a 5-for-15 effort (33.3 percent) from distance. The Spartans also held an eye-popping 40-8 advantage on points in the paint.

Johnston led the Panthers with 23, draining 8-of-14 tries from the deck. Hamilton booked a double-double, pouring in 18 points and snaring 15 misses. Giffa added 12 points, with half that total coming from the charity stripe. Juslin Bodo Bodo dominated the boards for the Panthers, pulling down 17 boards (nine offensive). The Panthers shot just 34.5 percent (19-for-55) from the field, sinking just four two-point tries. High Point finished 15-for-36 (41.7 percent) from deep and 21-for-33 (63.6 percent) from the free throw line.

Norfolk State finishes non-MEAC play Tuesday afternoon from Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, as the Spartans battle top-ranked Tennessee. Streaming coverage will be available over SEC Network+ and ESPN+. High Point welcomes Radford to the Qubein Center Thursday to open the Big South conference slate. The game will be broadcast as the first installment of the league’s Wildcard Thursday slate, with action set to tip at 7:00 (Eastern) on ESPNU.

NORFOLK STATE 77, HIGH POINT 74

NORFOLK STATE (9-6)

Mading 3-7 0-1 7, Myers 1-3 4-5 7, Ings 5-6 2-4 12, Jones 0-1 0-0 0, Moore 13-21 7-7 33, McMahon 2-8 0-0 6, Bladen 2-2 0-2 4, Leakes 0-0 0-0 0, Fields 0-2 2-2 2, Darden 2-2 1-2 6. Totals 28-52 16-23 77.

HIGH POINT (12-3)

Hamilton 4-7 9-12 18, Bodo Bodo 0-2 3-7 3, Giffa 2-9 6-7 12, Johnston 8-14 0-0 24, Williams 3-14 1-3 9, Benham 2-6 0-0 6, Hildebrandt 0-1 0-0 0, Pettiford 0-2 0-2 0, Ibukunoluwa 0-0 2-2 2, Anderson 0-0 0-0 0, Thiam 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-55 21-33 74.

Halftime:  Norfolk State 39-34. 3-Point goals:  High Point 15-36 (Hamilton 1-2, Giffa 2-6, Johnston 8-13, Williams 2-7, Benham 2-6, Hildebrandt 0-1, Pettiford 0-1), Norfolk State 5-15 (Mading 1-3, Myers 1-2, Moore 0-1, McMahon 2-7, Fields 0-1, Darden 1-1). Fouled out:  NA.  Rebounds:  High Point 41 (Bodo Bodo 17), Norfolk State 31 (Myers/Moore 5). Total fouls:  Norfolk State 25, High Point 19. Technicals:  Johnston (HPU).

Points off turnovers:  Norfolk State 12, High Point 12.  Points in the paint:  Norfolk State 40, High Point 8. Second-chance points:  High Point 19, Norfolk State 15.  Fast-break points:  High Point 17, Norfolk State 11.  Bench points:  Norfolk State 18, High Point 8.