Bristol Reporter

Men's Basketball Can't Hold on Against WestConn

 The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth men's basketball team was outlasted by Western Connecticut, 85-81, in a nail-biter at Feldman Arena.

With the win, WestConn improved to 11-1 overall and 3-1 in league play, while UMass Dartmouth dropped to 3-10 and 2-3.

Fifth-year Dhalyn Sanders-Dyer tallied a game-high 30 points to lead the Corsairs. He shot a scorching 11-of-19 from the field which included seven three-pointers. Freshman guard Nic Boyd also notched double figures with 15. 

For the Wolves, senior guard Kendall Robinson poured in a team-high 26 points and a game-high three blocks. Rookie reserve Jaysean Morgan added 11 points, while senior forward Jaheim Young chipped in with 10 points and six boards for the hosts. 

UMass Dartmouth converted a blistering 58.6 percent (17-of-29) from the field in the first half, while WestConn also shot the ball well at 51.2 percent (21-of-41). However, the Wolves added 17 points off turnovers to go along with 12 second chance points as they earned a 49-45 advantage at halftime.

For the game, the lead changed hands 10 times. The Wolves led by nine late in the first half, while the Corsairs rallied to capture a nine-point advantage of their own with 7:23 remaining in the second, 71-62. However, the visitors wide gap was short lived as WestConn reeled off a 14-0 run to regain a 76-71 lead with 3:02 left on the clock. Rookie guard Jaeden Carr capped off the spurt with a jumper from the elbow. 

But UMass Dartmouth would not go away. Boyd drilled a trifecta and Sanders-Dyer scurried in for a layup as the Corsairs pulled ahead 78-76. Robinson retaliated when he bulled into the lane for a layup while being hacked. He would sink the ensuing free throw with 1:18 remaining to make it 79-76 in favor of the Wolves. 

Sophomore guard Keeshawn Jones followed up it up with a corner three-pointer before junior guard Jalen Jackson converted a three-point play of his own, giving WestConn an 84-81 edge with nine ticks left. Jackson then came up with a clutch to steal and Robinson sank another shot from the charity stripe, cementing the victory for the hosts. 

UMass Dartmouth will return to action at 7:30pm on Wednesday, January 11, when the Corsairs travel to UMass Boston (11-3, 4-1 LEC) in another conference battle. 

Original source can be found here