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College of Staten Island Athletics

COLLEGE OF STATEN ISLAND ATHLETICS
MBB11224_PRE
82
Winner Southern Conn. St. SCSU 1-0,0-0 NE10
80
Staten Island CSI 0-1,0-0 ECC
Winner
Southern Conn. St. SCSU
1-0,0-0 NE10
82
Final
80
Staten Island CSI
0-1,0-0 ECC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Southern Conn. St. SCSU 45 37 82
Staten Island CSI 38 42 80

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

DOLPHINS COMEBACK ENDS WITH HEARTBREAK AS SCSU WINS ON LAST-SECOND BUZZER-BEATER, 82-80

Staten Island, NY - The College of Staten Island Men's Basketball Team saw a late comeback end with heartbreak earlier tonight as Southern Connecticut State University defeated CSI on a last-second buzzer-beater, 82-80.  After trailing by as many as 19 points in the first half, the Dolphins battled all the way back to tie the game with just seconds remaining.  Albert Vargas, after dribbling the length of the floor and losing the ball in traffic, then regained control and hit a game-winning turnaround jumper on the baseline to win it for the Owls.  The loss drops CSI to 0-1 to begin the season and the win gets SCSU off to a 1-0 start.

The Dolphins came out of the gate strong and quickly took a 5-0 lead, but from there the Owls seized complete control for much of the first half.  A 20-0 run put SCSU ahead by fifteen before CSI recorded their next made field goal, and the lead remained largely steady from there.  The Dolphins pulled back to within single digits briefly at the 8:25 mark, but the lead ballooned to a game-high 19 points less than four minutes later.  Trailing by 16 with just 2:20 to go until halftime, four straight CSI baskets sent the game to the break with the Dolphins trailing by just seven.

The Dolphins picked up right where they left off before halftime when the second half began as Aaron Goldstein connected on his fourth three-pointer of the game to bring CSI within four with 18:25 remaining.  The basket was part of a 9-0 Dolphins run that tied the game at 47, and CSI would eventually go in front by as many as three.  Now trailing, the Owls issued a strong response and slowly built their lead all the way back to eight points with under two minutes to play.  After the lead was trimmed to six, the Dolphins forced consecutive turnovers and cut the lead to two.  A third turnover gave CSI a chance to tie from the line down two, but the second of two Messiah Mallory free-throws was missed.  However, Asa Kone grabbed the offensive rebound, was fouled, and hit one of two free throws to tie the score.  With the game now tied at 80, Vargas took the inbound the entire length of the floor, stumbled through traffic, and regained possession in time to end the game with a buzzer-beating turnaround jumper.

Goldstein led the Dolphins with 23 and Mallory finished with 16 points and 8 rebounds.  JJ Chestnut battled early foul trouble and finished with 15, including a key basket late in the second half.  Vargas had 18 for the Owls who were led in scoring by Sean James.  James not only scored 24, but he also set a Tournament of Heroes record for three-pointers in a game with seven.  

The Dolphins will continue the Tournament of Heroes tomorrow at 1:00 PM against Southern New Hampshire University.  The Owls will face St. Thomas Aquinas College.

GAME VIDEO

 
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