Fitchburg State Notches Come-from-Behind 85-68 Victory Over MCLA

FITCHBURG, Mass. – The Fitchburg State men's basketball team overcame an 11-point halftime deficit, scoring 59 second-half points to defeat MCLA, 85-68, in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action at the Parkinson Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.

For Fitchburg State, five players found their way into double-digits for points, as sophomore Josh Bosworth poured in a game-high 18 points, along with 16 from senior Kwame Lee, and 14 apiece from Givaughn Jones and Leonny Burgos. 

 MCLA was led by junior Adam Conquest's double-double with a team-leading 13 points to go along with 10 boards. Paul Maurice and Careem Kirksey picked up 12 and 10 respectively for the Trailblazers.

Action opened up immediately for MCLA as freshman guard Ki-Shawn Monroe swiped away the ball before dishing to an open Maurice behind the arc for the first points of the game.

Following a made lay-up by Burgos the Trailblazers doubled up on points when Paul Khalil made his team's second of the game from deep before pushing their lead up to six following another Khalil basket (8-2).

Midway through the half, the two teams traded baskets matching six points apiece over a four-minute span as Jones would pick up four during the stretch with the hosts trailing, 22-17.

With 1:49 left, Conquest gave the Trailblazers a 13-point lead, their largest of the opening frame, after he knocked down back-to-back shots from inside the paint before closing out the quarter with his third-straight made shot. The Falcons found themselves with an eleven-point deficit heading into the locker room.

Following the intermission, the Green and Gold took control of the contest, scoring six unanswered points and sparking a 17-6 run to take their first lead of the contest when Burgos knocked down a pair from the charity stripe (40-39).

Seconds later Kirksey drove the ball up the court quickly scoring on a drive to the basket and regaining the lead for the Trailblazers.

The Green and Gold responded, getting back-to-back successful possessions first when Bosworth was fouled on a drive to the hoop, nailing the and-one, before Burgos buried a triple with contact and completing a four-point play (47-43).

With 14:13 remaining in the game the hosts were able to pad their advantage, scoring seven unanswered as Troy Dacosta picked up the first score of the run with a basket from the paint.

At seven minutes remaining, the Falcons got out to a 13-point advantage following an 11-3 scoring drive as the team got points from five different players during the stretch (71-58).

The Trailblazers were unable to make a comeback as a 14-8 Fitchburg run, highlighted by four apiece for Lee and Bosworth, was more than enough to hold off the visitors and earn the 85-68 win.

Throughout the contest Fitchburg State was 35-of-73 from the field (47.9%) including 2-of-10 (20.0%) from beyond the arc, while enjoying 13-of-16 from the charity stripe. MCLA finished 28-of-77 from the floor (36.4%), hitting 4-of-18 (22.2%) from three, and 8-of-12 from the free- throw line.

Fitchburg State held an advantage in the rebounding department, edging the visitors 48-43 on the glass, including a 33-25 lead in defensive boards.

The hustle stats were tightly contested all game as the Trailblazers were able to pick up 22 second-chance points to the Falcons 20. But the hosts picked up 17 points off turnovers to the visitor's 11.

Fitchburg State (14-9, 7-3 MASCAC) will host Salem State in a crucial league match-up on Wednesday February 17th starting at 7:30.

MCLA (6-17, 2-9 MASCAC) takes on Pine Manor in non-conference play on Tuesday February 16th with tip-off coming at 7:30.

Release courtesy of Fitchburg State student journalist Kyle Prudhomme