Mike Baldarelli leads Greyhounds mens basketball past Southern Connecticut, 68-54, in Northeast-10 action

January 3, 2009

Assumption 68, Southern Connecticut 54

WORCESTER, Mass. --- Sophomore forward MIKE BALDARELLI (Sutton, MA/Holy Name) scored a game-high 17 points as Assumption College defeated Southern Connecticut State University, 68-54, in a Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball game SATURDAY at the Laska Gym.

The Greyhounds ran off the final 16 points of the first half to move from a 19-14 deficit with 6:59 to play to a 30-19 advantage at the break.

Senior guard/captain PATRICK SHEA (Salem, MA/Salem) started the flurry with a three-pointer from the corner on a feed from postgraduate forward GREG TWOMEY (Groton, MA/Groton Dunstable) and then sophomore center SAVOY FRAINE (Grenada Hills, CA/Grenada Hills) tied the game with a lane jumper on a feed from Baldarelli with 4:51. left. Fraine scored all 11 of his points in the first half.

Fraine and junior guard COURTLAND BLUFORD (Ft. Washington, MD/St. Vincent Pallotti) (12 points, 5 rebounds) then hit a pair of free throws before Fraine drilled a top-of-the-circle three-pointer from Shea to make it 26-19 Greyhounds. Steals and dunks by Fraine and Bluford finished out the scoring in the first half giving the home team an 11-point cushion.

A layin by center JOHN MAZZARELLA (Wallingford, CT/Wilmington) (13 points) brought the Owls back into contention at 40-35 with 12:16 remaining however the Greyhounds answered with an 8-0 spurt to again take command at 48-35 with 9:02 left.

Freshman guard KEVIN DONAHUE (Pawcatuck, CT/Stonington) and Shea each made a pair of free throws before Bluford converted an offensive rebound inside and senior guard/captain MITCH BAJEMA (Whitinsville, MA/Whitinsville Christian) hit a jumper to finished the run.

The Greyhounds now 7-5 overall and 5-3 in the conference. Southern Connecticut is now 1-10 and 0-8.

Assumption plays next at conference rival Pace University Tuesday, January 6 at 7:30 p.m. before coming back to the Laska Gym Thursday, January 8 to host American International.

Click here for ASSUMPTION-SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT box score