Staten Island, NY – The College of Staten Island Men's Basketball saw a double-digit lead in the second half slip away as CSI falls to The University of the District of Columbia, 71-69.
The loss drops CSI's record to 4-10 overall (3-5 ECC), while the Firebirds snap their six-game losing skid to improve to 4-15 overall (3-6 ECC). CSI has now dropped their last two games.
 
KEY MOMENTS
In what was a back-and-forth affair to start the game, CSI found themselves down six, 12-6 with under 13 to play in the half. The Dolphins would tie the game at, 14-14, off an Austin Mick three-point field goal, with under nine minutes. From then on, both teams would exchange leads before the first half was all knotted at, 28-28. CSI would start the second half on an 11-1 run, capped by a Messiah Mallory lay-up, that put CSI up, 40-29. CSI would extend to a 14-point lead, 45-31 with under 14 minutes to play in the game. The Dolphins would keep a double-digit lead until a Hartnel Haye lay-up cut the lead to eight, 49-41 with under 11 minutes to play in the game. Although CSI battled to keep their lead, within the next five minutes CSI found themselves down by one, 54-53, with under six to play. The Firebirds would extend that lead to as much as eight, 66-58 off a Kenyon Stone Lay-up, with now under three minutes to play. A few plays later, a Mick lay-up and three made free throws, would cut the Firebird lead down to three, 66-63. A thunderous dunk by Mallory with 45 seconds left in the game would cut the Firebird lead to one, 68-67. After a missed three-pointer by Stone, Luis Armas would hit two clutch free throws, giving CSI a 69-68 lead. With only 14 seconds remaining, CSI needed only needed one stop to seal the game. As time winded down a drive by Haye was blocked by Mallory, though, the blocked shot went into the hands of Stone who put the ball right back up for the bucket and the foul. Stone would hit the freebie, putting them up 71-69 with only 1.5 seconds remaining on the clock. The Dolphins drew a play from full court as they attempted to get a shot off before the buzzer sounded, however, CSI was not able to get a quality attempt at the basket, thus, falling to the Firebirds, 71-69.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Despite the loss, CSI outshot UDC from the field, 49% compared to 45% and from three, 44% compared to 18%. The Firebirds did most of their damage off second-chance points with 16 while CSI only mustered four in that category. The Dolphins hurt themselves in the process committing 23 turnovers in the game, most of which came late in the second half. UDC's bench outscored CSI, 27-8 and beat them in transition, 18-4.
 
DOLPHINS OF THE GAME
CSI's Dolphin of the game goes to Messiah Mallory who was the only Dolphin to shot over 50% with at least five shot attempts in the game. Mallory scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, good for his fifth straight game with a double-double. Austin Mick was the only other Dolphin in double figures with 13 points on 3-7 shooting (2-3 from three) and a perfect 5-5 from the free throw line (all coming during crunch time).
 
SOCIAL MEDIA

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