Box Score
WORCESTER, Mass. – Five players scored in double-figures as #16-ranked Saint Anselm College defeated Assumption College 91-83 on Wednesday night in Northeast-10 Conference men's basketball action in Worcester, Mass.
Assumption (4-5, 1-5 NE-10) jumped out to an early 13-7 lead, but the Hawks (8-1, 5-1 NE-10) answered with a 17-0 run to jump on top 24-13 with 11:36 to play in the first half. Harrison Taggart (Wallingford, Vt.) and Chris Braley (Newport, Maine) scored five points apiece during the run, with Taylor Fortin (Tolland, Conn.) and Cody Ball (Londonderry, N.H.) scoring three points each.
The Greyhounds used three free throws from Tre Owens and a triple from Justin Tuckson to get to within eight, and Taggart answered with a three of his own to give the Hawks a 32-21 advantage with 7:23 remaining.
The teams traded baskets and a Tre Owens three nearly four minutes later left the Greyhounds trailing 40-33. Saint Anselm had the answer again as a 10-0 run by the visitors capped off by a Kyle Green (Woodbury Heights, N.J.) layup staked the Hawks to a 50-33 lead. The Greyhounds made a small run near the end of the half, but a pair of Mike McCahey (Clarkstown, N.Y.) free throws put the Hawks in front 52-37 headed into the break.
Out of the intermission, Assumption chipped away and a Decan Soukup three made it a 10-point game with 15:35 remaining. The Greyhounds cut it to nine three minutes later with a Kamali Bey layup that forced a Saint Anselm timeout. Fortin hit a layup out of the stoppage, but Justin Tuckson connected on a three for Assumption to make it a 67-59 game with 11:32 to play.
The two teams went back and forth until a Cody Ball triple followed by two-straight baskets from McCahey put the Hawks back on top by 15 at 76-61. Taggart hit a jumper on the next Hawk possession to go up 78-61, but Assumption hung around, and a 6-1 run by Assumption got the Greyhounds to within 79-67 with 5:52 remaining.
At the 3:25 mark, Taggart sparked a 6-0 spurt by the Hawks that put Saint Anselm on top 87-69. With less than three minutes to play, Assumption made one last push, canning four-straight triples to pull to within six at 87-81 with only 34 seconds remaining. Taylor Fortin calmly nailed a pair of free throws to go back up by eight, but Mat Sulda kept the Greyhounds within six with a layup. On Saint Anselm's final possession, Harrison Taggart connected with Chris Braley for a layup to give the game its final score of 91-83.
The Hawks shot 56.7% (34-60) from the floor on the night including a 10-for-20 showing from beyond the arc. Saint Anselm won the rebounding battle 38-26 and dominated points in the paint, 40-24.
Mike McCahey knocked down all eight of his free throw attempts en route to 21 points. Harrison Taggart had an all-around game of 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Chris Braley posted 13 points and six rebounds, while Tim Guers and Taylor Fortin chipped in 10 points apiece, with Fortin dishing out a game-high seven assists.
Assumption was paced by 26 points, five rebounds, and five assists from Declan Soukup. Tre Owens added 16 points and seven rebounds, while Kamali Bey scored 15 points.
The Hawks are off until December 20 when Saint Anselm hosts Franklin Pierce in a 1:00 p.m. NE-10 matchup.
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