FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mounties hold on against Bloom 71-64 to improve to 4-1 in PSAC East

BOX SCORE

MANSFIELD – Derrison Anthony and Yuseff Carr combined to score 33 points to help Mansfield hold off a pesky Bloomsburg team in a 71-64 PSAC East win Wednesday evening in Decker Gymnasium.

“We played great defensively in the first half,” said head coach Rich Miller. “But lost some of our focus and energy early in the second half and they took advantage of that. They scored 80 or more points in each of their last four games so holding them to 64 (points) – 22 in the first half – was an accomplishment.”

Mansfield was slow getting out of the gate and didn't score its first points until Anthony hit a layup five minutes into the game. The Mountaineers led 18-13 on a free throw by Donny Lyons with nine minutes remaining in the first half and extended their advantage to 36-22 at halftime.

But Bloomsburg used an 11-3 run over the first three minutes of the second half cutting the lead to 39-33 on a 3-pointer by Trevon Johnson. Bloomsburg continued to edge closer cutting the lead to one point at 46-45 with just over 11 minutes to play.

Bloomsburg tied the game at 54-54 with six minutes remaining before Mansfield started to slowly retake the lead building a 63-58 advantage on a jumper by Carr with just under three minutes to go.

Mansfield led 64-60 with one minute remaining when Carr blocked a jumper by Johnson and Anthony got the rebound and fired a pass to Cory Henneghan for a layup, giving the Mountaineers what proved to be an insurmountable 66-60 lead.

Mansfield clinched the game at the foul line with Tony Fannick and Kyle Bradley combining to go 5-6 from the free throw line in the final 28 seconds of the game.

Anthony topped Mansfield with 19 points and also pulled down seven rebounds. Carr added 14 points with Fannick chipping in with nine points and seven boards. Bradley had another strong game with eight points and seven rebounds.

Trevon Johnson led Bloomsburg with a game-high 24 points with Lorenzo Christmas adding 10 points.

Mansfield held a 43-28 rebounding advantage including 15-6 on the offensive glass.

Mansfield's (12-5, 4-1 PSAC East) fourth straight win keeps the Mountaineers in at least second place in the PSAC East. The Mountaineers host Cheyney on Saturday.