The Morrisville State College men’s basketball team used a late 14-3 second half run to top visiting Keystone College 94-90 Tuesday night in non-conference action in Morrisville.
The victory pulls the Mustangs even at 2-2, while Keystone drops to 1-3 overall.
Morrisville State had four net double figures on the night, as junior forward Kucjok Ater (Syracuse, N.Y.) led the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds, adding three assists. Jailaan Kinsey (Syracuse, N.Y.) added 16, nailing four from beyond the arc on the night, including three during the second half to fuel the Mustangs to the win. Kinsey registered four assists, while teammates Brandon Henry (Harlem, N.Y.) and Jordan Prior (Cortland, N.Y.) each posted 13.
Rhamel Williams (Bronx, N.Y.) tallied nine points and pulled down 10 rebounds, while registering a team high five steals. Brandon Hanks (Syracuse, N.Y.) had a team best eight assists.
Greg Westry led Keystone’s efforts with 22 points, three assists and five steals as four additional Giants also recorded double figures on the night, including Tim Benedix, who netted 18 points, 15 on three’s.
Mike Kelly posted 17, adding seven boards and five steals to his tallies, while teammates Miles Dargan and Duncan Lunsford netted 14 and 13, respectively.
Kinsey gave Morrisville State the 43-42 advantage at the break, converting two free throws with just seconds showing on the clock.
Benedix tied the contest for the ninth time with a three at 15:18 of the second half, before Morrisville State used a 10-2 run over a two minute span to build up a seven point advantage over the Giants.
Minutes later, Andrew Lucio (Solvay, N.Y.) fueled the Mustangs offensive attack with a three, before Prior hit three straight from downtown with Ater adding a pair of free throws, and Kinsey one from behind the arc as Morrisville State claimed its biggest lead of the night, a 13 point advantage.
Keystone caused four Morrisville State turnovers down the stretch to get back in the game cutting the lead to just one with a layup by Benedix with 30 ticks to go, but Prior converted two free throws in the closing seconds, sealing the win for the Mustangs.
Morrisville State shot 51.5 percent from the floor, including 54.5 from behind the arc on the night, holding the advantage over Keystone who shot 39.7 percent from the floor. The Mustangs controlled the glass, holding the 49-38 gain.
Morrisville State returns to the court Thursday, hosting SUNY ESF at 7 p.m. in the STUAC Gymnasium.