By Brandy Thurston, Director of Sports Information
(Morrisville, NY – Jan. 9, 2013) The Morrisville State College men’s basketball team put together a record breaking 63-point second half effort, exploding offensively to top the visiting SUNY IT Wildcats by a 101-71 final in North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) action Wednesday afternoon in Morrisville.
Morrisville State improves to 7-4 overall, 2-1 in NEAC play, while SUNY IT drops to 2-11, and remain winless in conference action at 0-3.
The second half scoring burst is the most tallied in a single half for the Mustangs.
Jordan Prior (Syracuse, N.Y.) led the Mustang charge, coming off the bench to tally a team high 17 points, contributing three steals. Four additional Morrisville State players recorded double figures, including Brandon Hanks (Syracuse, N.Y.) who added 16 points, snagged nine rebounds, dished out seven assists and recorded three steals on the day. Mickey Davis (Syracuse, N.Y.) posted 12, adding four rebounds, and Kucjok Ater (Syracuse, N.Y.) netted 11. Jailaan Kinsey (Syracuse, N.Y.) rounded out top scoring for the Mustangs with 10 points, assisting six.
Rhamel Williams (Bronx, N.Y.) controlled the boards, snaring 11, five off the offensive glass, while posting a team high five steals.
Three posted double digits for SUNYIT, led by T’Andre Richardson (Utica, N.Y.) with 18 points, and six rebounds. Ryan James (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) chipped in 17, converting 10-of-10 from the free throw line, while registering seven assists, as teammate Alex Drake (Lansingville, N.Y.) added 13, three from long range.
Morrisville State led just 38-33 at the half, before going on a 14-5 run over the first three minutes, opening up the contest to a 15 point advantage. SUNYIT cut it to 12 with a three-point play by James with 14:46 to go, but were not able to get any closer as the Mustangs ignited offensively to dump in an additional 18 buckets (24-of-40 shooting in the second period), 47 extra points for the win.
Morrisville State hit 37-of-71 shots on the day (51.4%) and closed out 21-of-27 from the free throw line as SUNY IT went 22-of-62 from the floor (35.5%). The Mustangs forced 19 Wildcat turnovers and held the 52-32 margin on the glass.
The Mustangs return to the floor Saturday, hosting Lancaster Bible at 3 p.m. in the John W. Stewart Center for Student Activities gymnasium.