(NEWPORT NEWS, Va.) – A trio of players scored in double-figures, but it wasn't enough as Wilson succumbed to No. 5 Christopher Newport on the road Saturday evening. The Phoenix were within striking distance early in the second half before the Captains pulled away down the stretch.
The Basics
Score: Wilson 69, No. 5 Christopher Newport 86
Venue: Freeman Center
Records: Wilson 1-3, 0-0 UE; No. 5 Christopher Newport 4-0, 0-0 C2C
How It Happened
- An Armani Jones (Jr., Chicago, Ill. / Christ The King) jumper gave Wilson an early lead, but it didn't last long as CNU answered on its next trip down the floor. An 8-0 run by the Captains followed shortly after to give them a momentum shift. Over the course of the first half CNU built up a 17-point advantage as a Reece Ketron layup made the score 38-21. The Phoenix made a push in the final five minutes of the frame and cut the deficit down and trailed 43-32 at the half.
- A Winston Raford (So., Woodbridge, Va. / Forest Park) rebound and putback put Wilson back within single digits before the Captains answered with consecutive layups. A Jordan McKenzie (Sr., White Plains, Md. / North Point) inside jumper, a layup by Trea Keys (Sr., Columbia, Md. / Wilde Lake), a Jones bucket, and a pair of Gary Robertson (Gr., Washington, D.C. / Potomac / Bryant and Stratton) free throws sparked a push by the Phoenix and made the score 49-42 3:59 into the half. They stayed around that margin as a McKenzie put-back made the score 55-46 a couple minutes later, but CNU responded with a 17-2 run reclaim control.
Inside The Numbers
- Robertson led the Phoenix with 18 points. Half of his markers came from downtown as he was 3-for-6 on 3-pointers.
- McKenzie finished with 13 points. He too was 50% from range with a pair of treys. He led the team in rebounding with seven boards.
- Raford scored a career-high 11 points and was perfect on all six free throw attempts.
- Wilson had some defensive highlights as the Captains were forced into a season-high 20 turnovers. A dozen of them came on steals, the most by any of CNU's opponents so far on the early season. Jalen Pierce (Jr., Richmond, Va. / Collegiate) and Antonio Perez Jr. (So., Frederick, Md. / Saint John's Catholic) led in that category with three each.
- The Phoenix matched their season-high of 10 3-pointers made in the game. They also hit 10 at Messiah.
Up Next
The Phoenix will return home for a three-game home stand starting with Mount Aloysius this Wednesday. Tip-off with the Mounties is slated for 7:30 p.m. following the women's basketball game against Lynchburg.
