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Central Connecticut Registers 64-62 Win Over Hartford
Courtesy of Central Connecticut Sports Information
Senior Shemik Thompson scored 16 points and added three steals as the Central Connecticut men's basketball team opened the 2010-11 season with a 64-62 win over Hartford in the Connecticut 6 Classic at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday night. Junior Vince Rosario matched his career-high with 17 points in the win, as the Blue Devils won their opener for the first time in five season.
The Hawks led 24-10 with under eight minutes to play in the
first half. Central hit only 5-of-15 from the field to start
the game.
Central used a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 24-17 with 4:55 on the
clock. Junior Ken Horton scored his first basket of the
season to cut the lead to seven.
A Rosario three and a pair of free-throws from the junior cut the
lead to 28-22 with 2:30 on the clock. Following a pair of
Hartford free-throws Rosario hit his second three to make it
30-25.
Hartford led 32-27 at the half, and shot 44.8 percent from the
field (13-of-29). The Blue Devils hit on just 9-of-22 from
the floor, 40.9 percent, and were outrebounded 17-14.
Central turned the ball over 10 times leading to 10 Hartford
points.
Central began the second half with the third three of the game from
Rosario to make it 32-30, but the Hawks answered with an 11-1
run to build a 43-31 lead. Rosario capped a 6-0 Central
run with a break-away layup and sophomore Joe Efese hit under the
basket as the Blue Devils cut the lead to 45-39 with 11:48 on the
clock. The run reached 10-2 on Rosario's 17th point, matching
his career-high.
The Blue Devils climbed back and Thompson made his first three of
the season to make it 49-48 with under nine minutes to
play.
After the Hawks built the lead back to three, the Blue Devils
fought back to tie the game at 57-57 with just over two minutes to
play. Another big three from Thomspon, his second of the
game, tied the score. It would be the last field goal of the
game for the Blue Devils, but it was their work from the line that
earned them the win.
Central scored its final seven points from the free-throw line,
including five straight to take a 63-59 lead with under 10 seconds
to play. A late three by the Hawsk cut it to 63-62.
Thompson made a free-throw, and then missed the second with only .4
seconds on the clock.
Rosario's 17 led the offense for Central. Thompson added 16
and junior Robby Ptacek had 10. Horton, playing in his first
game since the 2008-09 season, added six points and seven
rebounds. Efese finished with five blocks, and the Blue
Devils had 10 total in the game.
Morgan Sabia led the Hawks with a game-high 23 points and 13
rebounds. They are now 0-1 on the season.
