Alfred N.Y. - Men's basketball finished up the weekend for Mountie sports, as they played conference opponent Alfred State in their home gym this afternoon.
Mount Aloysius nearly erased a first-half deficit, but a late comeback fell just short in a 69-68 loss to Alfred State on Saturday afternoon in AMCC play at the Orvis Activities Center.
The Mounties struggled to find rhythm early as Alfred State built a 39-26 halftime lead behind strong perimeter shooting and control of the glass. Mount Aloysius, however, came out with renewed energy after the break, shooting over 54 percent in the second half and repeatedly attacking the paint to claw back into the contest.
Momentum seemed to shift midway through the half when freshman D'Myah Carr (Johnstown, Pa., Greater Johnstown) stepped in to take a charge with just over 10 minutes remaining. The play ignited the Mounties, who responded with a sustained push that steadily chipped away at the Pioneer lead. Junior Donovan Bass-Briscoe (Alexandria, Va., Hayfield) led the charge offensively, finishing with a career-high 21 points and six steals, while Senique Jenkins (Columbus, Ohio, Imani Christian ) added 18 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double while playing all 40 minutes.
Head Coach Marcus Thomas shortened the rotation down the stretch, riding the same five players (Carr, Jenkins, Bass-Briscoe, Troy Tinch, and Ignacio Nascimento-Zschaeck) as Mount Aloysius continued to pressure Alfred State on both ends. Nascimento-Zschaeck provided a spark off the bench with nine points and six assists, helping fuel the rally as the Mounties had multiple chances to take late leads.
The closing moments proved decisive. Bass-Briscoe fouled out late, forcing the Mounties to adjust in crunch time. Even so, Mount Aloysius had several chances in the final seconds to steal the win, but was unable to get a shot off on the final possession as time expired.
Mount Aloysius did much of its damage by winning the turnover battle and applying constant pressure, turning Alfred State's 21 turnovers into 23 points. The Mounties were active in the passing lanes all afternoon and used those extra possessions to fuel their second-half comeback.
Rebounding proved to be the difference. Alfred State held a 46-33 edge on the glass, including 16 offensive rebounds, which allowed the Pioneers to extend possessions and survive despite shooting just 34.6 percent in the second half. Those second-chance opportunities helped Alfred State withstand the Mounties' late push and ultimately escape with the one-point victory.
The Mounties (1-14, 0-7 AMCC) will get a breather from conference play as they'll host Penn State Schuylkill (6-9, 3-4 PSUAC) this Monday at 4:00 pm in the ACWC. The non-conference game is also Friends & Family Day in the ACWC.
