COLCHESTER, VT. – The Assumption men's basketball team struggled from the field in the second half, as the Greyhounds fell to RV/23 Saint Michael's College 70-65 in Northeast-10 Conference action Wednesday evening. 
 

THE BASICS

Score: Saint Michael's College 70, Assumption University 65

Records: Greyhounds (14-12, 10-10 NE10), Purple Knights (20-6, 16-4 NE10)

HOW IT HAPPENED

The opening minutes of the first half were neck and neck, with the Hounds and the Purple Knights trading baskets. Kasey Draper was hot out the start for Assumption, scoring 12 points in the first seven minutes of the game, as he was 5-5 from the field, and the Hounds led 17-13. Saint Michael's was able to rip off a small run and tie the game, but it remained close as halftime was approaching. With 6:37 to go in the first, the visitors took a full timeout down by one, 25-24. Ever since that point, the Purple Knights began on a 13-8 run to extend their lead going into the break, with Darrel Yepdo leading the way for the home side with 18. Draper continued his offensive outpouring, burying back-to-back jumpers to have the Hounds within one with 1:21 to go in the half. With three seconds to go, Draper would bury another one for 24 first-half points, as the Hounds now led 43-40 at halftime.
 

The Purple Knights and Hounds went at it down the stretch, with eight minutes gone and the game still tied. Draper secured his 26th point with 12:26 to go, as he led the Hounds offensively in the evening. Up 58-56, the Purple Knights went on a 6-0 run led by Yepdo and Roman Reid to give themselves some breathing room. The Hounds answered right back with a 9-0 run to put themselves up one with 1:40 to go, as Kyle Gaskins cashed in on two free throws. Unfortunately for Assumption, those free throws would be their last points of the evening. Yepdo and Reid would hit back-to-back layups followed by a pair of free throws to execute the late win at home. Despite putting up a fight against the top seed, Assumption fell 70-65 on the road to Saint Michael's College.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Kasey Draper led all scorers with 29 points. In two games against Saint Michael's, Draper is averaging 37.5 points, as he dropped 46 against the Purple Knights on January 13th. 
• The two teams each pulled down 42 rebounds, while Assumption won the battle of second-chance points 13-2. 
• Saint Michael's shot 43.8 percent from the floor, while the Greyhounds shot 38.2. Both teams struggled from the charity stripe, shooting under 45.0 percent from the line. 
• Assumption is now 37-29  all-time against Saint Michael's.

UP NEXT

• AU at Southern New Hampshire, Saturday, February 24, 3:30 pm
• SMC at Adelphi, Saturday, February 24, 3:30 pm

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