Men's Basketball defeats Rams 74-62

Portions of Release courtesy of Framingham State Sports Information

Framingham, MA-- The MCLA duo of Hayden Bird and Noah Yearsley combined to score 41 points in leading the Trailblazers past the Framingham State Rams 74-62 in MASCAC action this evening.  The Trailblazers earn a key conference win as they're now 8-10 overall and 3-4 in the conference.  The Rams dip to 3-18 on the season and sit at 1-8 in conference play.

MCLA never trailed in this one.  The Trailblazers jumped out to an 8-2 lead after back-to-back three-pointers from Bird just under three minutes into the game.  The Rams answered with six straight tying the game on Hollman jumper with just under 15 remaining in the first half.  

A few minutes later leading 14-13, the Trailblazers rattled off a 10-0 run capped by a Yearsley jumper taking a 24-13 lead with just over six to play in the first.  The Rams cut the deficit to eight on an Ivan Nyantenji three, but the Trailblazers pushed the lead back to double digits and headed to the locker room leading 37-22. 

MCLA led 44-28 six minutes into the second half before the Rams rattled off an 8-0 run capped by an Joshua-Daniel Okafor layup to pull within ten at 44-34.  The two teams traded points until back-to-back threes from Yearsley put the visitors up 56-40 with eight to go.  Framingham would get no closer than the final margin.

Bird went 7-15 from three point range for his 21 points.  He didn't attempt a shot from inside the arc.  Yearsley was 8-15 shooting for his 20 point night.  Quentin Gittens stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists.

MCLA shot a solid 44% from the field in the win.

Framingham was paced by Jahden Erold's team best 14 point night.

The same two teams will meet again on Wednesday night in North Adams.