Brooklyn’s Nicholas Grasso (left) and Jai Kellman celebrate after the Bulldogs fire back in the second half to defeat CCNY 66-61 in Brooklyn Tuesday night.
Photo by Jeff Weisinger
Despite a first half in Brooklyn where CCNY led by five at halftime, an ice-cold second half where the Beavers shot just 24.2-percent from the court, including going just 2-for-15 from three-point land doomed the Beavers in their 66-61 loss Tuesday night in Brooklyn.
The Bulldogs came out on fire in the first 10 minutes of the second half, going on a 14-8 run to take the go-ahead 49-48 lead with just under nine minutes left in the game. Brooklyn College would not give up the lead from that point, as the Beavers went 4-for-16 from the court in the final eight minutes, while turning the ball over twice during key chances to rally back.
“We know that Brooklyn is a pressuring team. And that’s exactly what they came out and did,” said Saleh Nasser after the game and his fifth start of the season.
Nasser committed the first of the two key turnovers late int he second half with the BEavers down one. Brooklyn’s Nicholas Grasso scored on the following layup in transition to put the Bulldogs up by three.
“It’s a tough loss,” head coach Tom Green stated. “It was a very winnable game.”
The Beavers were looking at a possible season sweep of Brooklyn after taking the 40-35 halftime lead. CCNY defeated Brooklyn College in a 92-85 thriller in Harlem back on Jan. 17th.
“When you miss shots, and its shots that I want them to shoot, all I can say is: that’s basketball, Green added.
The 8-for-33 shooting performance in the second half is one of the worst performances for CCNY this season. While the 15-for-25 output, including going 4-for-8 from three-point range, is one of the best halves of the season.
Both Brandon Reeves and Lareik Taylor tied for a game-high 16 points on the night, while senior Nate Lopez scored 10 for the Beaves on the night. The three players to score in double digits went a combined 16-for-26 from the court.
Brandon Reeves scored a season high 16 points on 70-percent shooting from the court in the loss Tuesday night.
Photo by Jeff Weisinger
“I told the guys after the game ‘All we can do from an offensive standpoint, all we can do as a team, is find each other a quality shot.’”
CCNY (7-15, 3-10) is still a lock for the eighth and final seed for the CUNYAC tournament at the end of the month, barring a wild last-minute rally by bottom dweller Lehman College. They also have a shot at the seventh seed if they can win-out their final three games.
However the Beavers still have quite the uphill struggle with three road games in the next six days, the next two of which against conference leading College of Staten Island on Thursday, who have won 19 in a row, then on Saturday at Baruch who’s third in the CUNYAC and defeated CCNY 69-56 back on Dec. 10.
