The Central Connecticut State University men’s basketball team extended its winning streak to seven games after overcoming a slow start to secure a 73-63 victory over the Mercyhurst University Lakers on Thursday night at Detrick Gymnasium.
The Blue Devils had four players score in double figures. Senior guard Jordan Jones led all scorers with 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting while also dishing out eight assists. Senior forward Jayden Brown added 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and pulled down a game-best eight rebounds. Junior guard Devin Haid and freshman forward Darin Smith Jr. each contributed 11 points.
Central came into the game against Mercyhurst after an 87-66 blow-out win over Fairleigh Dickinson University 87-66 at home on Thursday, Feb. 6, extending their winning streak to six games. Mercyhurst was coming off an 82-78 home win against Le Moyne College on Saturday, Feb. 8.
Mercyhurst capitalized early, scoring quick baskets while Central struggled offensively. Despite missing their shots, the Blue Devils’ defense kept them in the game.
A pivotal moment came with 9:28 left in the first half when senior guard Joe Ostrowsky drew a charge. The next possessions saw Brown convert a layup and senior guard Davonte Sweatman scoring on a fastbreak following a steal. Despite Central’s momentum, the Lakers remained resilient and took a 38-35 lead into halftime.
After the break, the Blue Devils settled in, moving the ball effectively and intensifying their defensive pressure. Head Coach Patrick Sellers emphasized the importance of not giving Mercyhurst any open looks at the basket, a strategy that helped them turn the game around.
“We wanted to contest every shot,” Sellers said, “and once we did that, we got on a run.”
Smith Jr. provided a spark off the bench for the Blue Devils. After a scoreless first half, he caught fire in the second, scoring 11 points while shooting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
Brown, who was limited by foul trouble in the first half, stepped up in the second half and finished with 16 points and eight rebounds. He said that he didn’t let the early foul trouble affect his mentality during the rest of the game.
“Staying positive and in attack mode was key,” Brown said. “We were down at the half, so we just had to attack.”
Despite being outscored 38-35 in the first half, the Blue Devils dominated the second half and outscored the Lakers 38-25, helping seal Central’s victory.
One key stat that stood out during the game was Central’s dominant advantage in assists. The Blue Devils moved the ball well throughout the game, racking up a total of 21 assists, with Jordan Jones accounting for eight of them. Jordan Jones said that the team’s plethora of talent makes it easy to move the ball around.
“We just try to play the same way every game—share the ball because we have a lot of talented guys,” Jones said.
With the victory, Central remains atop the Northeast Conference, improving its record in league play to 9-2 and overall record to 18-6. The Blue Devils have now won seven games in a row for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
Central will look to extend the winning streak to eight games when it takes on Saint Francis University at Detrick Gymnasium on Saturday, Feb. 15, in the final game of a three-game homestand.
