NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Six players scored in double-figures, including all five starters as the Albertus Magnus College Falcons used a big second-half push to defeat the University of Southern Maine Huskies 97-85 in a non-conference men's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Cosgrove Marcus Messer Center.
Justice Washington had 17 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots to highlight the Falcons, while Deivone Tanskley also registered a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Falcons' Tazhon Daniels led Albertus Magnus with 23 points, and a team-best five assists.
Southern Maine sophomore
Tommy Whelan (Bronx, N.Y./Fordham Prep) led the Huskies with 23 points, adding five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Fifth-year senior
Cody Hawes (Carmel, Maine/Hermon) had 21 points, a season-high eight assists, and five rebounds. Senior
Chance Dixon (Lake Worth, Fla./Santaluces) had 11 points, five rebounds and five assists while freshman
Justin Allen (Franklin, Mass.) came off the bench to score 12 points.
The Records:
Southern Maine (5-5, 1-2 Little East)
Albertus Magnus (9-2, 2-0 GNAC)
Today's game marked the first meeting between Albertus Magnus and Southern Maine.
How It Happened:
- Whelan scored 18 of his 23 points in the first half as Southern Maine was able to take a narrow 40-39 lead into the break against the Falcons. The Huskies started out strong and led 17-11 at the 13:01 mark after a three from Dixon, but the Falcons answered with an 8-0 run to take a 19-17 lead midway through the half on a three from Antonio Bonilla.
- After the run, both teams settled into a back-and-forth contest trading baskets and the lead over the next nine minutes. Whelan gave the Huskies a 38-37 lead with 50 seconds to play on a three, but the Falcons' Washington answered right back for a 39-38 lead with a bucket in the paint with less than 30 seconds to go. In their final possession, Hawes was able to drive to his left and score for the 40-39 halftime score.
- Albertus Magnus asserted itself to open the second half outscoring the Huskies 19-8 in the first six minutes to open up a 59-48 lead. Bonilla scored eight of the Falcons 19 points in the run, including two threes, while Washington grabbed an offensive rebound and scored before completing the tradition three-point play for the double-digit advantage.
- Midway through the second half, the Falcons led by 17 (71-55) following a jumper from Malcolm Duncanson. Allen put USM within 10 points, 83-72, with 4:43 to go on a three-pointer following a feed from Hawes, but the Huskies were unable to get any closer the rest of the way for the 97-85 final.
Inside The Stats:
- The Huskies finished the game shooting 42.5 percent (31-for-73) from the field and 39.4 percent (13-for-33) from the three-point line. Albertus Magnus shot 50.0 percent (38-for-76) from the floor, and 40.0 percent (8-for-20) from the three.
- The Falcons had a 49-28 edge on the boards and scored 22 of their 97 points off of second chance buckets. Seventeen of the Falcons 49 rebounds were offensive. The Falcons also outscored USM 54-32 in the paint.
- With 11 points in today's game, Dixon now has 883 in his career and is 17 points from 1000. He has scored in double digits in nine of the Huskies' 10 games this season, and is averaging 17.4 points per game – a career-best.
Up Next:
The Huskies are off for the semester break, and will host Nichols College on December 29 (3:00 pm) in their return to action at home.
-cac-
