Fitchburg State Nips Connecticut College, 62-61

Falcons used balanced attack with three in double figures

NEW LONDON, Conn. (November 18, 2008) - The Fitchburg State men's basketball team recorded its second victory of the season, defeating Connecticut College 61-60 in non-conference action this evening.

The trio of senior Brian Torres (North Dighton, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth), classmate Brian Skiffington (North Adams, Mass./Hoosac Valley) and junior Tim Graham (Arlington, Mass./Arlington Catholic) led the Fitchburg State attack. Torres registered a team-high 17 points on 7-of-19 shooting from the field, while Graham and Skiffington added 14 and 11 points respectively.

Junior Shavar Bernier (Dover, N.H./Bridgton Academy) led the Connecticut College offense with a team-high 16 points and six rebounds, while senior Ulises Veras (Lawrence, Mass./Proctor Academy) chipped in with 11 points, five boards and three steals.

Connecticut College jumped out to an early 18-5 lead midway through the first half as Veras connected for 11 points and three boards in the first frame. Skiffington and Torres kept the Falcons within striking distance, combining for 15 points in the period to cut the Camel lead to 38-28 at halftime.

Connecticut came out firing in the second half, going up by as much as 16 at the 10:48 mark with a 54-38 lead. Bernier led the Camels charge with seven points in the first four minutes, but Fitchburg State responded with a 10-0 run late half to close the Connecticut lead to only six.

The Falcons trailed by four with two minutes remaining in regulation. After a Skiffington lay-up and a Connecticut turnover, senior Jeffrey Kozik (Auburn, Mass./Auburn) nailed two clutch free-throws to tie the game at 59-59. The Camels grabbed a one point advantage moments later on a free-throw by sophomore Mike Lehane (Putnam, Conn./Marianapolis Prep), but the Falcons drove down the court and cashed in with Graham's game-winning lay-up.

Fitchburg State limited Connecticut to only 22 points in the second half as it made its 16 point comeback. The 61-60 lead was the Falcons second lead of the match since scoring the opening basket of the game. Torres led the second half comeback with ten points and three boards, while Graham notched eight points and the game-winning basket.

Fitchburg State (2-0, 0-0 MASCAC) will be in action again on Saturday as it travels to Regis College at 3 p.m. Connecticut (0-1, 0-0 NESCAC) will travel to New York University for the NYU Tip-Off Tournament at 3 p.m.

Fitchburg State 61, Connecticut 60