by Zack Downing, Staff Writer
The Corsairs kicked off their 2016 – 2017 season on their home court, facing the Salem State Vikings on the 15th.
The first half was very competitive, with both teams trading leads and hitting shots. As halftime approached, however, Salem State gathered momentum off a 10-0 run that sent them into the half with a 45-34 lead.
Their momentum would continue into the second half, as the Vikings slowly increased their lead.
The Corsairs saw some life near the game’s close with three 3 pointers in a row, but it was too late to win. The final score was 89-73, Salem State.
The two teams’ shot percentages were rather close, but it wasn’t field goals that cost the Corsairs the win. They had more than twice as many turnovers as the Vikings, and that hurt them greatly in the long run. The Vikings also shot an impressive 83% from the foul line.
Umass Dartmouth looked to rebound in the second game of their season, another home matchup against Trinity College, a match in the 2016 Hampton Inn Classic Tournament.
This game started much differently than the last, with the Corsairs coming out with a few 3 pointers and opening a large lead, which reached at one point.
This time, it was the Corsairs who were taking advantage of the opponent’s turnovers. UMass had 32 points off turnovers on the game, while the Trinity Bantams only capitalized on 14 points.
However, Trinity wasn’t going down, and regained momentum after the game’s start. The halftime score was 26-34, UMass Dartmouth.
As the second half progressed, the Bantams kept up their momentum. They got more shot opportunities than the Corsairs, and used this to come back to even the score between the two. As the final minutes wound down, the lead kept changing.
At the 48 second mark, Trinity was up, 67-63. Then the Corsairs nabbed a steal, and Jon Robinson nailed a 3 pointer. He led the team’s scoring on the night with 17 points. The Bantams tried running down the clock, but again turned the ball over, leading to a successful basket from the field. Corsairs up by one.
However, UMass Dartmouth fouled, and Trinity made one of their ensuing foul shots. The score tied up, and the game was going into overtime.
In overtime, the Corsairs turned up the heat. They went on a 9-0 run at the start, and Trinity couldn’t overcome their momentum. The final score was Corsairs 83, Bantams 76.
Bowdoin College was the next team up to face UMass Dartmouth, and they were again ready for the challenge.
The Corsairs opened up with an 8-point lead, but the Bowdoin Polar Bears bounced back and climbed out of the hole. Bowdoin brought out their bench and they picked up the pace, surging to an 8 point lead of their own at halftime.
The Corsairs weren’t backing down, and came back into the game firing. They outrebounded the Polar Bears and shot well, putting up an exceptional 58% shooting in the second half. In fact, both teams shot well all game, both averaging over 50%.
Accurate shooting and rebounds saved UMass Dartmouth in the second half. They scored a huge 55 points in the half to take the lead and ultimately the victory, 93-84.
The Corsairs’ next home game is against Keene State on December 3.
Come down to Tripp Athletic Center and support the team!