WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Powered by a dominant team defensive performance, the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men's basketball team posted an 81-50 victory over Lycoming College, winning the USJ Holiday Tournament Championship. Seniors
Isaac Percy and
Jackson Zancan were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Percy earning the Tournament MVP Award.
The Corsairs' fourth straight win moves their season record to 5-5, while the Warriors slide to 5-6.
Riding off the momentum from a big overtime victory over Wentworth yesterday, the Corsairs were hot early on. They took a 14-8 lead at the 13:54 mark following back-to-back-to-back threes from sophomore
Josh Lopes, his classmate
John Marcille and then Lopes again.
Zancan and Percy got to work around midway through the first half, with Zancan scoring 10 points in a five-minute span. He capped his takeover with a three and then a long two plus the foul that extended the UMD lead to 22 with 5:45 to go in the half. The Warriors made a cut into the Corsair lead before half, with UMass Dartmouth going into the break leading 44-26.
The Corsairs were able to ride a comfortable lead the rest of the way. Percy scored seven points in the first nine minutes of the second half. Lycoming struggled to get anything going offensively, being held to shooting 19 of 55 from the floor (34.5%) and 5 for 23 from deep (21.7%).
UMD poured it on late, with late threes coming from Lopes and sophomores
Nic Boyd and
Darius Peterson. The Corsairs finished on top by a score of 81-50. Percy was named the Tournament MVP and was named to the All-Tournament team alongside Zancan.
Lycoming College was paced by senior Steven Hamilton with 15 points on 3 of 5 from deep. Sophomore J.J. Beagle was the other double-figure scorer for the Warriors with 10. Freshman Hayden Pardoe posted a near-double-double with nine points and 13 rebounds. Pardoe represented the Warriors on the All-Tournament Team.
The Corsairs were paced by Zancan with his 19 points and seven rebounds on 7 of 15 from the field and 2 for 4 from three. Percy had a remarkable game with 15 points and 15 rebounds while going a perfect 4 for 4 from the free throw line. Lopes, Marcille and Boyd were the other double-figure scorers for the Corsairs. Marcille hauled in six rebounds and went 3 for 4 from deep. UMass Dartmouth won the battles in points off turnovers (25-5), second chance points (21-6), bench scoring (32-16), points in the paint (38-28) and fast break scoring (12-5).
UMass Dartmouth men's hoop closes out the 2023 portion of their schedule with four straight wins, bringing them back to .500 with conference play around the corner going into the new year. The Corsairs will travel to Rhode Island College for a Little East Conference matchup with the Anchormen on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 7:30PM.