Plymouth State Edges Becker in BSU Tip-Off Classic Consolation Game

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Plymouth State University posted a 71-68 victory over Becker College in the consolation game of the 2012 BSU Men's Basketball Tip-Off Classic on Saturday afternoon at the Tinsley Center.

Four players finished in double figure scoring for the Panthers (1-1) led by freshman forward Uche Nwokeji (Lynn, Mass.) who tallied 13 points to go along with nine rebounds.  Nwokeji was selected to the All-Tournament Team.

Junior guard Alex Burt (Dover, N.H.) added 14 points for Plymouth, while classmates Petey Skevas (Wethersfield, Conn.) and Sheldon Benson (Pembroke, N.H.) chipped in with 11 points apiece.  Skevas also recorded four assists.

Becker sophomore guard Lee Brockett (Waterbury, Conn.) poured in a game-high 33 points for the Hawks (0-2) on 10-of-16 shooting.  Brockett, who was also named to the All-Tournament Team, drained 6-of-10 three-point attempts and grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.  Junior guard Mike Russell (East Hampton, N.Y.) was the only other player in double figures for Becker as he tallied 11 points.

Plymouth State held a 33-26 halftime advantage and got up by as many as ten in the opening stanza.

Becker would rally, however, as there would be eight ties and eight lead changes in the second half.  Plymouth seemed to take control late in the final stanza as Burt drained a three with 3:56 remaining to give the Panthers a comfortable 66-56 advantage.  The Hawks, however, responded with an 8-0 run with Brockett scoring six points during the spurt to cut the deficit to two (66-64) with just under two minutes left to play.

Burt and Brockett each made two out of three free throws on the team's ensuing possessions.  Brockett had a chance to tie the game with 39 seconds remaining but was missed on a layup.  A pair of Skevas' free throws gave the Panthers a 70-66 lead with 34 seconds remaining. Freshman guard Darius Sealy (Cambridge, Mass.) answered with a driving layup just six seconds later to pull the Hawks to within two (70-68).  Burt made just 1-of-2 at the line at the other end, but Becker was unable to take advantage as two three-point tries in the final ten seconds were off the mark.

Plymouth shot 44% (21-for-48) from the floor for the game and 53% (9-for-17) from three-point range.  Becker connected on 39% (23-for-59) of its field goal attempts and knocked down 9-of-21 (43%) three-point attempts.  The Panthers won despite turning the ball over 20 times, compared to just 13 miscues for the Hawks.