HENNIKER, N.H. – New England College graduate guard
Nick Gomeau (Enfield, Conn.) finished with a team-high 21 points to lead the NEC men's basketball team to a 79-71 win over visiting Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Saturday afternoon at the Bridges Gymnasium in Henniker, New Hampshire in non-conference action.
THE BASICS
Score: MCLA 71, New England College 79
Records: Pilgrims 1-7 | Trailblazers 0-10
TURNING POINTS
- The first half was a back-and-forth affair, and the teams went into halftime tied at 39-39. NEC continued his outstanding play of late with 15 points and three assists to lead the Pilgrims, while the Trailblazers were sparked by senior guard JoJo Garcia (Henderson, Nev.) and his 14 points.
- MCLA led for much of the second half before a late surge by the Blazers' offense stalled in the closing minutes. A layup from Gomeau with 2:49 to go put NEC up 72-71, and they would not look back. A turnover was followed by two missed shots, a missed free throw and missed shots on their last three possessions as the Pilgrims made five of six free throws in the final 18 seconds of the game.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Gomeau led the Pilgrims with 21 points, five rebounds and three assists. In his last two games, Gomeau is averaging 23.0 points per game in the two highest-scoring games of his collegiate career.
- Garcia led the Trailblazers with 25 points, ten rebounds, one block and one steal, shooting 10-of-21 from the floor.
- NEC freshman guard Theisen Lee (Cincinnati, Ohio), returning to action for the first time since November 16th, scored a career-high 16 points on six-of-twelve shooting.
- MCLA sophomore guard Hayden Morris-Gray (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) finished with 16 points, while graduate forward Jackson Brown (Latham, N.Y.) posted 15 points and eight boards.
- NEC sophomore guard Mike Strazzeri (Chichester, N.H.) posted a career-high 15 points with three assists and two steals.
- NEC sophomore center Aiden MacLeod (Wilmington, Mass.) added eight point and seven boards.
- Perimeter defense proved critical for the 'Grims, as they shot fifty percent (5-of-10) from behind the arc compared to 32.3 percent (10-of-31) for the Trailblazers.
UP NEXT
- Up next for NEC, the team hosts Vermont State University Johnson on Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. in their final contest before the winter holiday break.
- MCLA travels to Elms College for their next game, that also coming on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
