The Central men’s basketball team defeated the Long Island University Sharks, 78-64, on Thursday, Feb. 29, in Detrick Gymnasium.
The win marks the Blue Devils’ highest regular season win total since the 2010-11 season when they went 19-12.
Four Blue Devils scored in double-digits. Senior Kellen Amos, graduate student Allan Jeanne-Rose and senior Jordan Jones had 17 apiece, while junior Joe Ostrowsky had 11 off the bench, including three three-pointers.
With just under five minutes left in the second half, Jones was at nine points, needing 12 to reach 1000 career points. He buried a corner three in transition to reach the milestone.
“It feels good, but it feels better to win,” Jones said.
Jones said he was unaware that he was approaching 1,000 points.
“I didn’t know that I was anywhere close, honestly,” Jones said. “It wasn’t even on my mind.”
Central only led by three, 32-29, in a close match at the half. They turned it up in the second half to open up a steady lead. Head coach Patrick Sellers attributed the second-half increase in performance to better ball movement.
“In the first half, the ball wasn’t popping like we wanted it to,” Sellers said. “In the second half, it moved better and we got better rhythm shots.”
Central will host its senior night for their next game, and Jones aims to maintain his focus on winning.
“We can’t let senior night overcome what we are trying to do, as far as win,” Jones said.
A conference Coach of the Year contender, Sellers was already looking ahead after the win.
“We have to make sure we are locked in on what they are doing on offense,” he said. “[Defensively], I don’t know if they’ll be playing zone or man, so we have to be prepared for both of them.”
Senior night will be Central’s final home game of the regular season, as they host Stonehill College on Saturday, March 2. The Blue Devils will then host a quarterfinal match-up on Wednesday, March 6, to kick off the Northeast Conference Tournament.
