Box Score NEW HAVEN, Conn. -
Michael Mallory (Waterbury, Conn.) posted career highs of 43 points and nine three pointers and
Desmond Williams (Torrington, Conn.) contributed a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds – seven of them offensive – in No. 7 Southern Connecticut State University's 107-94 win over American International.
With the win, the Owls improve to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the NE-10, while the Yellow Jackets fall to 0-3 both overall and in the conference.
Seven of Mallory's nine three pointers came in the second half. Southern Connecticut went into the locker room with a 47-46 lead and started the second half on a 15-4 run led by
Desmond Williams who had seven points in the 3:20 span. Mallory hit his first three pointer of the half to cap off the rally to give the Owls a 62-50 lead. AIC would come right back, however, with a 12-4 run to cut the lead back down to four. Mallory hit three pointers on two of the next three Owls' possessions to help extend the lead back to 10. Southern Connecticut shot 59.5-percent (22-of-37) from the field in the second half – their best shooting percentage in one half all season – including shooting 53-percent (8-of-15) from deep, compared to just 27-percent (3-of-11) for the Yellow Jackets.
AIC would get within five points with 9:30 remaining after a three-pointer by Javon Pitts-Young, but Mallory came right back with a three pointer on the next possession. He would score nine of 12 for Southern Connecticut as it went on a 12-2 run late in the second half to get the lead up to 15, 92-77. The Owls would maintain a double digit lead for the final 4:47 of the game to seal the win.
Cameron Dobbs led the way for AIC with 32 points on 11-of-22 shooting. The Owls held Dobbs to 1-of-4 shooting from three in the second half after he went 4-of-7 in the first frame. He also scored just four points in the final 13 minutes of the game. The next leading scorers for the Yellow Jackets were Bruce Spruell and Jayvon Pitts-Young with 11 each.
Southern Connecticut outrebounded AIC 49-33 overall and 20-12 on the offensive glass. Consequently, SCSU scored 25 second chance points compared to 14 for AIC. Mallory finished the game with six rebounds, two steals and two blocks in addition to the 43 points.
Desmond Williams had a game high seven assists. Mallory and Williams took by far the most shots for Southern, with 25 and 18, respectively.
Jack McCarthy (Wallingford, Conn.) had the third most shots – he went 6-of-8 from the field for a season high 12 points and 5 rebounds in 14 minutes. Southern Connecticut's 60 points in the second half is the most it has scored all year.
The Owls have six days off before their next game on Monday, November 30 when they host LIU Post at 7 p.m.
