Gittens Hits Two Key Free Throws as Men’s Basketball Pull Out 73-72 Win Over Salem State

SALEM, Mass. – The MCLA Men's Basketball team returned to the win column in their efforts to secure a home game in the first round of the MASCAC playoffs this evening. The Trailblazers are now a game and a half ahead of Salem State with two games to play after their win over the Vikings. Salem State, however, has a game in hand with three more MASCAC games on their schedule. MCLA senior Quentin Gittens scored a team-high 25 points, but none were as crucial as the game-winning one-and-one that he converted both halves of with four seconds to go.

THE BASICS:

• Date: Wednesday, February 7, 2024
• Score: MCLA 73, Salem State 72
• Records: MCLA Trailblazers 12-10 (MASCAC 6-4) | Salem State Vikings 11-10 (MASCAC 4-5)

HIGHLIGHTS

• The game was a nip-and-tuck affair, with neither team pulling more than eight points away from the other. Salem State used a 12-6 run over the course of a bit less than three minutes to take a 41-33 lead with 46 seconds left in the first half for the game's largest lead at eight points and took a 41-35 lead into halftime.
• The teams traded baskets for the first ten minutes of the second half, with the Trailblazers slowly chipping away at their deficit. A Quentin Gittens jump shot with 9:06 to go finally brought the teams even at 55-55.
• Jake Bluestein gave MCLA their first lead of the second half when he uncorked a three with 8:11 left. Craig Williams provided the Trailblazers with their largest lead of six points with just over three minutes to go.
• The Vikings refused to go away, eventually drawing even with MCLA when Jaden Castillo scored on a layup with 24 seconds left in regulation and then took the lead when Castillo converted the "and one" free throw that came with the layup.
• Coming out of a time-out with less than nine seconds left, Gittens received the inbounds pass and drove to the hoop, drawing a foul and a one-and-one opportunity for the Trailblazers. Gittens entered the game with the 18^th most made free throws in all of Division III and knew what to do in this situation. He drained the first, and after a timeout by Salem to attempt to ice him, Gittens buried the second.
• The Vikings had one final chance, with Jaden Castillo finding a clear look on a three with .7 seconds on the clock, but the shot hit off the back of the rim and fell to the ground harmlessly.
• Gittens finished the game with a team-high 25 points and a team-high 12 rebounds for his 12^th double-double of the season.
• Bluestein scored a career-high 17 points in 18 minutes off the bench, including four three-pointers. Bluestein provided a spark for the visitors, whose bench outscored the host's bench 20-2.
• For the fifth time in six games, Williams crossed the double-digit mark, scoring 13 points in only this third start of the season.
• Jaxen Potter gathered 11 rebounds, including five on the offensive end, to help the Trailblazers to a 23-10 advantage in second-chance points.
• Salem State's Michael Makiej led all scorers with 28 points, while Liam Byrne recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards. Castillo rounded out the trio of Vikings with double-digit points, scoring 14 points while handing out six assists.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Field Goals / %: MCLA 26-74 / 35.1%, Salem 28-63 / 44.4%
• 3 Points / %: MCLA 11-32 / 34.4%, Salem 5-15 / 33.3%
• Free Throw / %: MCLA 10-13 / 76.9%, Salem 11-16 / 68.8%
• Rebounds: MCLA 45, Salem 40
• Points off Turnovers: MCLA 5, Salem 6
• Second Chance Points: MCLA 23, Salem 10
• Points in the Paint: MCLA 22, Salem 34
• Bench Points: MCLA 20, Salem 2

UP NEXT:

On Saturday, MCLA will be back in action when they travel to Framingham State for a MASCAC matchup with the Rams at the FSU Athletic & Recreation Center. The teams will take the floor for a 2 p.m. tip-off.

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