University of New England’s Drew Coveney goes against a Nichols defender on Monday night. ALEX SPONSELLER/ Journal Tribune
The Bison entered the game in first place in the Commonwealth Coast Conference with an 8-1 CCC record and a 14-2 record overall. However, the 7-9 Nor’easters would cruise in the second half to put the game away and pull off the upset.
UNE took a slim 39-37 lead into the halftime break as the Bison were more efficient in the paint throughout the opening 20 minutes. Six-foot-eight forwards Jerome Cunningham and Matt Morrow helped the Bison get seven more offensive rebounds and control the tempo for much of the first half.
“We told the guys at half that we have to gain rebounds. When the shot goes up hit your guy and pursue the ball,” said UNE coach Ed Silva. “We probably needed six hands versus two pairs of hands to take the ball from the 6-foot-8 kids. It was a more concerted effort, we were in position to rebound but we weren’t boxing out.”
UNE would play a much cleaner game in the second half, and would piece together a 36-10 run to take control the rest of the way.
The Nor’easters shot 44 percent from the field, and would outrebound the Bison overall by the game’s end. UNE also recorded 14 steals in the win.
Silva was pleased with his team’s adjustments in the second half, and was excited to see the Nor’easters extend their win steak to four games and snap their five-game losing streak against Nichols.
“They’re such a scary team because they’re also a lethal 3-point shooting team. Do you guard the arch and give them the inside where they can drive through the lane? What we were trying to do was contest the 3s, guard the inside and make the big guys uncomfortable,” said Silva.
Alex Kravchuk led UNE with 21 points while Jackson McCoy added 13 points and four blocks. Gavin Dibble and Matt Hobbs added nine points each while Drew Coveney recorded eight assists.
“I like our group, we don’t have a bunch of All-Conference players. (Nichols) is a great team and they were down a player tonight. I wouldn’t say we were surprised (to win), we always talk about synergy and that 1-plus-1 equals three,” said Silva. “The idea that as a collective, we’re better than we are as individuals. Tonight was kind of an example of that, we need to be a collective group.”
UNE improves to 8-9 on the year and 6-4 in the conference. The Nor’easters will move on to face Gordon this Wednesday, and Silva hopes to see his club continue to improve offensively down the stretch.
“Our last win against Endicott we shot 31 percent from the field then tonight we missed a bunch of bunnies. I think we can play much better on offense, I think we’re playing really well on defense,” said Silva. “We can play so much better on offense, if we convert layups, convert jumpshots. Tonight we made the timely layups and jumpshots, but we can play better.”
— Associate Sports Editor Alex Sponseller can be reached at asponseller@journaltribune.com or at 282-1535 ext. 323. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.
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