Cloud 9: Seawolves Battle Past NHTI 79-71
CONCORD, N.H. —Southern Maine Community College men’s basketball team earned a 79-71 conference road victory over NHTI on Wednesday night at Goldie Crocker Gymnasium, extending its winning streak to nine games.
| Final | 1 | 2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
35 | 44 | 79 |
|
|
31 | 40 | 71 |
Team Stats
NHTI
| Game Statistics | Southern Maine CC | NHTI |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (32-67) | (26-70) |
| Field Goal % | 47.8% | 37.1% |
| Rebounds | 48 | 33 |
| Assists | 14 | 11 |
| Turnovers | 16 | 12 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 14 | 15 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 14 | 4 |
| Pts in the Paint | 44 | 24 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 6 | 10 |
| Bench Pts | 0 | 0 |
CONCORD, N.H. —Southern Maine Community College men's basketball team earned a 79-71 conference road victory over NHTI on Wednesday night at Goldie Crocker Gymnasium, extending its winning streak to nine games.
HOW IT HAPPENED
SMCC struck first as Chance Mercier (Ellsworth, Maine) knocked down a three on the opening possession, but NHTI answered quickly to keep the early minutes tight. Ellis Macea (Lawrence, Mass.) and Nathan Mugisha (Rwanda, East Africa) controlled the glass and generated second-chance opportunities.
After NHTI briefly grabbed the lead midway through the half, but Macea and Sam DeWitt (Hudson, N.H.) answered with a pair of jumpers while Mercier responded with a pair of threes to swing momentum. The Seawolves closed the half on a late surge to take a 35-31 lead into the break.
The Seawolves opened the second half with Macea attacking the rim on the first possession, while Mercier followed with his fourth three-pointer of the game. NHTI attempted to rally behind perimeter shooting, trimming the margin to single digits several times, but SMCC answered each push. A mid-half stretch featuring baskets from Franck Moron (Billerica, Mass.), DeWitt, and Mercier pushed the lead to its largest of the night at 18 points.
Down the stretch, the Seawolves closed the door with Mercier and Mugisha combining for 25 second half points and Macea controlling the rebounds. Mugisha sealed the win at the line in the final minute as SMCC secured the eight-point victory.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Chance Mercier: 28 points, 9 rebounds, 5 made threes
- Ellis Macea: 18 points, 14 rebounds
- Nathan Mugisha: 16 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 assists
- Sam DeWitt: 4 points, 3 assists, 2 steals
- Franck Moron: 6 points off the bench
- Team shooting: 47.8% FG, 29.4% 3PT, 71.4% FT
- Rebounding: SMCC 48, NHTI 33
- Points in the paint: SMCC 44, NHTI 24
NEXT UP
SMCC (16-5, 7-5 YSCC) returns home for conference action against Paul Smith's College on Saturday, January 31, with tip-off set for 12:00 PM at The HUB.