Lucio hits last second jumper as Morrisville State men post 67-65 win over Cazenovia

Junior guard Andrew Lucio (Solvay, N.Y.) chased down an offensive rebound and launched the put back on the baseline to lead Morrisville State College to a 67-65 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) victory over visiting Cazenovia College Saturday afternoon in Morrisville.



Morrisville State improves to 15-8 overall with the win, posting a best 12-1 NEAC record. Cazenovia drops to 6-17 overall, 3-10 in conference play.



Mickey Davis (Jamesville, N.Y.) led Morrisville State with 23 points, adding five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals. Lucio was the lone additional Mustang in double figures, notching 11, grabbing six boards while assisting four. Hodges Sneed (Syracuse, N.Y.) added nine points, controlling the boards for Morrisville State with seven.



Cazenovia had three in double figures in their efforts, led by Matt Perry (Massena, N.Y.) with 23. Perry added five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals to his tallies, while teammate Ryan Howdownes (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) contributed 13 points and six boards. Robert Rohrig (Ludlow, Vt.) had 11 to round out top scoring for the Wildcats.



Morrisville State led just 37-30 at the half, and came out of the locker room cold, notching just two scores in the first six minutes of play as Cazenovia cut the lead to just a basket.



With 8:34 to go in the half, Howdownes hit a three to give the Wildcats a three point advantage which increased to as many as seven over the next four minutes, but Morrisville State battled back, tying the game for the eighth time with just over a minute remaining in the contest.



With eight seconds showing on the game clock, Davis launched a three hitting off the right side of the rim and into the hands of Lucio who immediately fired the put back through the net for the 67-65 lead.



Cazenovia made one last effort as Perry attempted a shot from the top of the key, but Morrisville State's Kyle Gordon (Riverhead, N.Y.) blocked the shot, securing the conference victory for the Mustangs.



Both teams played even throughout the contest, shooting 47 percent from the floor, while Cazenovia held the advantage behind the arc, hitting 7-of-14 (50 percent) while the Mustangs hit 10-of-27 (37 percent). Morrisville State controlled the boards, collecting 36 to the Wildcats 27, holding the 12-6 advantage on the offensive glass.



Morrisville State remains atop the conference and returns to the court Tuesday, traveling to SUNY Cobleskill.