PLYMOUTH, N.H. - The UMass Dartmouth men's basketball team fell to Plymouth State University, 70-65, in the opening game of Little East Conference (LEC) action on Wednesday night from Foley Gym. The Corsairs dropped to 2-4 overall on the season while the Panthers picked up their first conference win at home.
Graduate student guard
Isaac Percy opened the game by going on a 8-0 run highlighted by a pair of triples to give UMass Dartmouth the early lead. Junior guard
Josh Lopes and junior center
Cam Dunbury tacked on their first baskets of the night to push the Corsairs advantage to 12-0 four minutes into contest. Plymouth soon started to cut down UMass Dartmouth's lead thanks to a 9-2 run finished off by a jumper from Torran Bosworth to make it 14-9.
With 14:08 on the clock, junior guard
John Marcille sank a three-pointer off the assist from graduate student guard
Jayquan Leonard. Percy knocked down his third shot from behind the arc a few minutes later to give the Corsairs a nine-point cushion. Plymouth's offense gained momentum passing the midway point of the half generating an 11-0 run to take their first lead of the game. Leonard answered with his triple off the feed from sophomore guard
Trent Santos, but two made free throws for the Panthers evened the score up at 27-apeice.
Entering the last five minutes of the first half, Elijah Swanson drained a triple to make it 30-27 Plymouth. Junior center
Ryan Flauto blocked a shot leading to a fastbreak layup by first year
Danny Reyes to give UMass Dartmouth a one-point edge. Both teams continued to exchange points nearing the break, but Reyes added four points to put the Corsairs up 37-34 at halftime.
Dunbury slammed in a dunk followed by a Lopes triple to regain a 42-40 edge over the Panthers to start the second half. After Leonard knocked down a triple at the 16:33 mark, Plymouth went on a seven-point run that was disrupted by a Flauto layup. Reyes finished 3-of-4 clips from the charity stripe along with a driving layup to pull UMass Dartmouth away with a five-point advantage.
Less than six minutes remaining in the game, the Panthers snagged a 64-58 lead thanks to a 7-0 run. Reyes cut into Plymouth's lead with his three-pointer at the 2:16 mark off the dish from Marcille to make it 66-63. Flauto finished a late tip in to bring UMass Dartmouth within one-point, but Plymouth outlasted the Corsairs late push to earn their first conference win of the season by a final score of 70-65.
Percy led the offense with 17 points (6-15 FG, 3-9 3-FG, 2-2 FT) along with eight total rebounds. Reyes scored a career-high 16 points (4-9 FG, 1-5 3-FG, 7-8 FT) for the Corsairs hauling in six rebounds and recording a block and a steal. Flauto ended the night with 10 points (5-11 FG, 0-1 3-FG), seven rebounds, two blocks, one assist, and a steal.
The Corsairs are back on the road facing off with the Bears of Bridgewater State University on Saturday, Dec. 7. The non-conference tilt is slated for a 12:00 p.m. tipoff.
