ARLINGTON, Va. – The Marymount (Va.) University men's basketball team took on No. 21 Christopher Newport University on Saturday afternoon in a Capital Athletic Conference matchup, falling behind late in the second half to drop a 58-48 decision.
It was a hard-fought first half by both teams, drawing a 28-28 score at the half, seeing the biggest lead by either team reach six points for a very small amount of time. The Saints (2-5, 0-2 CAC) came out of the gates putting on the pressure, pushing an early 4-0 lead off a layup by junior Jesse Longmire and a free throw apiece by sophomore D'Ondre Stockman and senior Rick Narcisse. But the Captains (6-0, 3-0 CAC) went on a run of their own, erasing the deficit with a 10-point stretch before senior Danny Ferry dropped in a three pointer to get MU within three, 10-7.
The score swayed both ways through the rest of the first half, but impressive free-throw shooting by Longmire, including a 2-for-2 trip to the line with just two seconds left until the break, would send the teams into the lockerroom at a deadlock, 28-28. Longmire went 8-for-8 from the charity stripe in the first half, while leading the offense with 10 points. Stockman was close behind on the offensive end with nine points, including 2-for-2 from behind the arc.
The final 20 minutes opened in favor of MU, kicking off the first two minutes with five-straight points off a strong finish inside by sophomore Dimitri Rucker and another long ball by Stockman. The Saints held onto the lead for roughly nine minutes until CNU hit its stride. Stockman would hit a layup at the 11:32 mark to put Marymount up two, 41-39, but that was the final time it would carry the advantage. The Captains separated the score in the closing minutes, eventually pushing the lead to as much as 13.
MU hung in the game through the end of the second half, but could only get it as close as six points to CNU in the final five minutes.
Stockman posted a game-high 17 points for the game, while Longmire and Rucker added 16 and 15, respectively. Longmire went a perfect 12-for-12 from the line through his 35 minutes of play. On the defensive end, Rucker ripped down a team-high eight rebounds to go along with his two blocks.
The men are back in action on Wednesday, December 9, as they head to Annville, Pennsylvania for a non-conference matchup against Lebanon Valley College. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.