NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport opened the month of December Sunday, dropping a 61-58 decision to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in the Hampton Marina Classic. The loss snapped a six-game Captains winning streak and also ended a 22-game home winning streak at the Freeman Center.
The Captains, now 6-2, fell behind early as the Pointers scored the first 12 points of the game over the opening seven and a half minutes of action. Christopher Newport battled from behind and got as close as a point late in the second half, but never could tie or go ahead.
"I'm happy with the way we battled today, but certainly not with the outcome," Head Coach
John Krikorian said. "Wisconsin-Stevens Point is a really good program, and as we expected it was a great college basketball game. We had our chances but just made too many mistakes at key points today to win the game."
Senior
Dalon McHugh II and junior
Brandon Edmond were key during the second half comeback bid, with both scoring all of their points after halftime. McHugh finished with a game-high 11 points and Edmond recorded eight.
Wisconsin-Stevens Point improved to 5-0 with the victory, and the Pointers led by as many as 13 in the opening half, 18-5. The Captains were able to cut the lead down to four, 26-22, on a three-pointer from junior
Adrian Beasley on the buzzer at the end of the first half.
The Pointers were led by senior Ethan Bublitz's 25 points, and Bublitz scored 17 of his 25 in the second half including three from beyond the three-point line. Bublitz had quite a weekend at the Freeman Center, and led the Pointers on Saturday as well...scoring 28 points in W-SP's one-point victory over Wilmington, 70-69.
The Captains had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds of the second half, but junior
Jason Aigner's half-court shot clanked off the backboard and rim to end the battle. Christopher Newport turned the ball over 19 times and shot just 41 percent from the field (21 of 51). The Pointers made 42 percent of their shots (25 of 60) and scored 18 points off the Captains turnovers. Both teams recorded 35 rebounds, with senior
Cutch Ellis pulling down a game-high seven boards for Christopher Newport. Wisconsin-Stevens Point senior Brandon Spray registered a double-double with 12 points and and a game-high 10 rebounds.
The all-time series is now tied at 1-1, as the Captains had beaten the Pointers in the only other meeting, 71-51, three seasons ago in a tournament at Stevenson.
The last time the Captains lost on the home floor at the Freeman Center was in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Franklin & Marshall two seasons ago. Christopher Newport was 18-0 at home last year and had won the first four home games this season.
Christopher Newport will return to action on Wednesday night, hosting the Pacers of William Peace University. Tipoff time is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Freeman Center.
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