DANBURY, Conn. - After sitting out last season due to the pandemic, the Western Connecticut State University men's basketball squad returned to hardwood and rallied to down visiting non-league foe Plattsburgh State, 80-69, on Saturday afternoon at Feldman Arena. Junior forward
Ryan Alkins (Queens, N.Y.) tallied a team-high 17 points to go along with seven rebounds to lead WestConn.
Joining him in double figures were senior
Matthew Turner (Trumbull, Conn.) and junior
Ahmod Privott (Middletown, Conn.) as they finished with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Privott fell just shy of a double-double, snagging nine rebounds.Â
Kevin Tabb led the visitors with a game-high 19 points, while Axel Rodriguez chipped in with four trifectas en route to his 14 points.
Plattsburgh began the game with some red-hot shooting from downtown as they jumped out to an early 23-10 lead. However, WestConn picked up the defensive intensity through the remainder of the first half, cutting it to just a one-point advantage, 35-34 at the break.Â
WestConn seized its first lead less than two minutes into the second when senior
Wes Nelson (Queens, N.Y.) knocked down a midrange jumper.Â
The hosts then reeled off a 13-2 run capped off with three-pointer from Privott, widening the gap to 61-48. The margin would grow to as much as 17 points as WestConn continued to protect the ball and out-muscle Plattsburgh on the boards.Â
WestConn returns to action for Day Two of the WestConn Tip-Off Tournament tomorrow at 3 p.m. when they meet Westfield State University, which defeated Sarah Lawrence College, 87-63 in the nightcap. Plattsburgh will play the Gryphons in the consolation game at 1 p.m.
The Owls were led by Justin Rennis' 14 points and eight rebounds. Brendon Hamilton grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds for the winners. Fifteen different players registered at least two points for Westfield State.
Sarah Lawrence were paced by Xiyuan Zyhang who came off the bench to net 17 points on 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the arch. Liam Barry added 12 points in the loss.
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