Rams Lose To MCLA 75-58

Release courtesy of MCLA athletics

NORTH ADAMS, MA - MCLA junior Dakari Hannah Wornum collected a team best 15 points and a game high 16 rebounds as he led the Trailblazers past the Framingham State Rams 75-58 Wednesday in MASCAC men’s basketball action.

With the win, the Trailblazers improve to 6-16 and 2-8 in conference play.

The Rams drop to 4-18 and are just 1-9 in the MASCAC.

The Trailblazers led 44-28 at halftime after Careem Kirksey canned a three in the closing seconds of the half.

MCLA however, wouldn’t score over the first 3:46 of the second half allowing the Rams to show signs of life. The Rams trimmed the score to 44-33 and after MCLA’s Collin Parrott sank a free throw, FSU’s Tim Mangano knocked down a jumper making it 45-35 in favor of MCLA with still 15:52 left to play.

The Rams would eventually get within nine points at 52-43 with 12:11 left to play, however MCLA responded with five straight points culminated by a Hannah Wornum put-back which pushed the margin back to 14 points. The visitors would get three straight points from Tony Alexandre to pull back within eleven points at 57-46, however Khalil Paul and the Trailblazers once again responded.

Paul ignited a 10-2 spurt by drilling back to back three’s and a finished it off with a pair from the line giving MCLA an insurmountable 67-48 advantage with just 4:00 left on the clock. The Rams would get no closer than 15 the rest of the way.

MCLA controlled the opening half of play and they led 33:24 with 3:53 left until halftime before using a 11-4 run to close the half and lead 44-28. Careem Kirksey scored 10 of his 12 points in the opening half including a pair of three pointers.

Hannah Wornum went 6-8 from the field and scored 13 of his 16 after halftime. Half of his rebounds were on the offensive glass. Paul ended with 11 points for the Trailblazers shot a solid 46% from the floor, which included a blistering 56% showing in the first half of play. Ki-Shawn Monroe had a nice floor game dishing out 5 assists.

The Rams were paced by Alexandre’s double-double effort of 22 points and 14 rebounds. He was 10-19 from the floor in defeat. Mangano was the only other Ram in double figures ending with 12 points.

Framingham was just 2-17 from three-point range and shot just 38 percent from the floor. They also committed 22 turnovers.

The Rams will travel the MIT for a non-conference matchup on Friday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m.