Box Score DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- Sophomore Marcus Azor (Brockton, Mass.) drained a three-pointer as time expired to lift UMass Dartmouth to an 82-79 Little East Conference men's basketball victory over Eastern Connecticut Wednesday evening at the Tripp Athletic Center.
Azor dribbled twice from the top of the key and floated the trey over a pair of defenders to give the host Corsairs (13-7, 8-3 LEC) a triumph that kept them atop the conference standings, as UMass Dartmouth turned a one-point halftime edge (34-33) into a 12-point cushion (59-47) after sophomore Adam Seablom (Lakeville, Mass.) capped a 13-4 run 7:40 into the second half. The visiting Warriors (8-12, 4-7 LEC) responded with a 14-2 run of their own over a 3:24 stretch to even matters at 61-61 on sophomore Seth Thomas's (Norwich, Conn.) three-pointer with 8:56 remaining, but the hosts regained a four-point lead (79-75) on a pair of free throws by junior Jake Ashworth (Fairhaven, Mass.) with 2:02 to play.
Eastern Connecticut forged the ninth and final tie of the night on a pair of baskets from junior Cory Muckle (Westbrook, Conn.), the last coming on a lay-in with 31 seconds remaining in the contest. Following a timeout, Azor held the ball up top with timing running down before netting the decisive trey that gave the Corsairs their third straight win and one-game lead over both Western Connecticut and UMass Boston for first place in the league.
Azor finished with 21 points, eight assists and five rebounds for UMass Dartmouth, which received 19 points and three assists from Seablom along with 17 points, five assists and five steals from Ashworth. Senior Harry Alexander (Washington, D.C.) chipped in with nine points and nine boards for the Corsairs, who collected six points and a game-high 11 caroms from sophomore Sean Leahy (Hanson, Mass.). The hosts shot 47 percent (35-75) from the field and converted 17 offensive rebounds into 21 second chance points to avenge a last-second setback to the visitors suffered last month in Willimantic.
Senior Jake McCarthy (Berlin, Conn.) led five players in double figures with 18 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in the setback for Eastern Connecticut, which received 16 points from senior Jake Collagan (Wethersfield, Conn.) along with 15 points and nine boards from Thomas. Muckle added 12 points, six caroms and three assists for the Warriors, who received 12 points and four assists from sophomore Thomas Close (East Hampton, Conn.). The visitors shot 52 percent (33-63) from the floor and canned nine three-pointers but hurt themselves with 14 turnovers that were converted into 17 points.
UMass Dartmouth heads to Plymouth, N.H. on Saturday afternoon for a Little East Conference outing with Plymouth State that tips-off at 3:00 pm, while Eastern Connecticut hosts Southern Maine in a Little East clash on Saturday afternoon in Willimantic, Conn. that also tips-off at 3:00 pm.
(Photo Credit: Bridget Bagana '22)
