NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Junior Mike Hogervorst (Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands) and sophomore Daniel Haimes (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) each scored 20 points to pace the Norwich University men's basketball team during Tuesday's 88-61 victory at Andrews Hall.
The Cadets improve to 4-5 overall on the year while MCLA drops to 2-8 on the season following the non-league tilt. Norwich now boasts a 4-1 record all-time against the Trailblazers dating back to the first-ever meeting on Dec. 9, 2003.
Hogervorst scored 20 points in 23 minutes off the bench, shooting 7-for-8 from the floor and making all five free throws. He also cleaned the glass with six rebounds, ranking second on the squad. Haimes poured home six shots from beyond the arc, scoring 20 points after making seven of 15 shots from the floor.
Junior Zygimantas Sirvydas (Silale, Lithuania) tallied 18 points on the evening, handing out five assists, while junior Tommy Fitzgerald (Williston, Vt.) reeled in a team-leading seven points while cashing in with six assists. 11 different Cadets players scored at least two points in the convincing victory.
MCLA opened up a 6-0 lead through the game's first 1:31, but the Cadets quickly answered with 15-straight points to capture a convincing 15-6 lead through the game's first 8:49 following a Hogervorst layup. The Trailblazers would finish the first half strong, scoring six-straight points in the final minutes to cut the Norwich lead to 32-27, but Sirvydas would score four-straight points for the Cadets to carry a 36-27 lead into the break.
Haimes connected on back-to-back treys in the second half, propelling Norwich into the lead by a 42-28 score only 33 seconds into the stanza. Junior Ryan Booth(Northfield, Vt.) would also add two triples near the start of the second half, further extending the lead while the Cadets defense would keep the Trailblazers at a double-digit disadvantage throughout the remainder of the game.
Hogervorst personally extended the Cadets lead to 27 points late in the second half as a three-pointer preceded four-straight converted foul shots to create the 84-57 advantage with 4:04 to go in regulation time. In the final two-plus minutes of the contest, freshman Stephen Norris (Rockland, Mass.) had back-to- back field goals to maintain the 27-point lead as time expired.
Keiland Cross led MCLA with 29 points after scoring 10 field goals, making all nine foul shots and hauling in 11 rebounds. Joe Wiggins was 3-for-15 from the floor, but made nine of 11 shots from the charity stripe. The Trailblazers finished the game 2-for-18 from distance.
The Cadets return to action Monday, Jan. 2, taking on Lesley at 5 p.m. on the road following the holiday break.