Cross goes for 29 to continue hot stretch, but MCLA falls to Norwich 88-61 in semester finale

Norwich, VT- The MCLA men's basketball team got off to a quick 6-0 start on Tuesday night, however host Norwich immediately answered with a 15-0 spurt and never looked back as the Cadets cruised past the Trailblazers 88-61 in the semester finale for both teams.  Norwich is now 3-5 on the season while MCLA drops to 2-7.

The lone bright spot for MCLA is the continued strong play of junior Keiland Cross.  The guard dropped a game best 29 points and completed the double double with 11 rebounds.  He was 10-16 from the floor and a perfect 9-9 from the charity stripe.

Norwich was paced by Mike Hogervorst and Daniel Haimes who each tallied 20 points.  Haimes was 6-11 from three point range for most of his damage while Hogervorst was near perfect as he was 7-8 from the floor and 5-5 from the FT line for his 20 points.

Cross and Wiggins scored the games first six points as Norwich missed their first four field goal attempts.   The hosts would respond though using their 15-0 spurt to seize control.  Zygimantas Sirvydas started the spurt with a layup and Hogervorst scored 11 of the next 13 points for Norwich giving the Cadets a 15-6 lead.

MCLA would cut it to five points at 32-27 on a free throw from Cross, however Norwich would score the half's last four points to go into halftime up 36-27.  Haimes would drill a pair of three pointers out of the locker room to give Norwich some breathing room at 42-28 with 19:27 left to play.

MCLA never got within single digits again and the lead quickly ballooned to over twenty points behind Haimes and Hogervorst.  The Cadets would cruise home from there to earn the win.

Sirvydas ended with 18 points and 5 assists for Norwich.

Wiggins shot just 3-15 from the floor for MCLA but did go 9-11 from the line as he added 16 points.  No other Trailblazers were in double figures.

MCLA shot just 34% compared to 49% for Norwich.

The Trailblazers are off until after the new year when they take on Worcester State University on January 4th in the MASCAC opener for both teams.