Men's Basketball's Woes Continue After Loss to Western Connecticut

DANBURY, Conn. - The Elms College Men's Basketball traveled to Western Connecticut State University in a non-conference matchup Sunday afternoon.

BASICS
Score: Elms College 49 | Western Connecticut State University 82
Records: Blazers 0-6, 0-0 (GNAC) | Wolves 3-3, 0-0 (LEC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

Elms would begin the game by winning the first possession, but Western Connecticut would be the first to score following a layup. The Blazers would tie the game after a jump shot by senior guard Kishaun Cole (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.), but the Wolves would score again with the assistance of another layup to take back the lead 4-2. The two sides would continue to battle for possession, which would see Elms take the lead after a successful free throw attempt by junior forward Adam Sarlan (Chicopee, Mass.) along with a layup and three-point shot from Cole, assisted by sophomore guard Andrew Ciaglo (Hadley, Mass.). WCSU Connecticut would tie the game during their next possession, but as the Wolves tried to take back the lead, junior forward RJ Mayfield (Springfield, Mass.) would block a layup. Western Connecticut would then go on to score six-straight points to take the lead. The Blazers defense would then go on the offensive after a block by sophomore Lawton Ackah-Yensu (Cape Coast, Ghana) and a steal from Mayfield. The Wolves would continue to score, increasing their lead 22-9, but a layup from graduate guard Teron Griffin (Harlem, N.Y.) and a three-pointer by Ciaglo would bring the differential to ten points. WCSU would once again regain offensive momentum to add an additional ten points to their lead, but the Elms offense would reawaken after three-point shots by graduate forward Neilon Bridgeman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Mayfield, along with a breakaway three-point play by Cole. Unfortunately, even with these late efforts by the Blazers, the Wolves would maintain the 44-26 lead going into the halftime break.

The second half would begin with Elms with the offensive advantage after a layup by Griffin, but Western Connecticut would answer quickly after a pair of layups. As the Wolves added to their lead, the Blazers would see a jump shot and layup by Cole and a three-pointer from Griffin, along with a steal by junior guard Aden Goffe (New Haven, Conn.) and a block from Bridgeman to keep the contest within 19 points. As the clock wound down, Ackah-Yensu would make a layup and a steal, followed by a layup by Mayfield, steals from Sarlan, junior Edgardo Jacob Cancel (Northampton, Mass.), first year guard Shawn Rivera (Holyoke, Mass.), back-to-back three-point shots by junior guard/forward Max Rolnick (Vaughan, Ontario), but WCSU would defeat Elms 82-49.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Cole - 14 points, three assists, two rebounds, and two steals.

• Mayfield - eight points, five rebounds, two steals, and a block.

• Rolnick - eight points.

• Griffin - seven points, a rebound, and an assist.

• Ciaglo - three points, three rebounds, and two assists.

• Sarlan - six rebounds, three points, and a steal.

• Bridgeman - three points, two rebounds, two blocks, and an assist.

• Ackah-Yensu - three points, three rebounds, a steal, and a block.

UP NEXT: The Elms College Men's Basketball team will take a break for Thanksgiving and will travel to nearby Westfield State University on Tuesday, December 3rd at 7 pm.

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