McDaniel Notches Double-Double as Men’s Basketball Tops Becker College, 62-56

CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College senior forward David McDaniel (Plainfield, N.J.) scored 19 points and added 10 rebounds and senior guard Andre French (Torrington, Conn.) netted a game-high 22 points to help lift the Blazers to a hard-fought 62-56 victory in Thursday evening's New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) men's basketball game at Picknelly Arena.

With the victory, Elms improves to 7-8 overall, 6-1 in NECC action, while Becker moves to 8-7 on the season, 4-2 in NECC action.

In a game that featured five tie scores and seven lead changes, Becker roared out to a 10-3 lead on the strength of three-pointers from Lee Brockett (Waterbury, Conn.) and Mike Russell (East Hampton, N.Y.). Elms stormed back behind a French triple and one from McDaniel to set the score at 14-11 with 12:53 to play in the opening stanza, but jumpers by Rashaun Liggon (Elizabeth, N.J.) and Yahmad Rountree (Waterbury, Conn.) extended the lead back to seven (18-11) with 11:57 to play in the half.

Becker maintained its lead throughout the rest of the half until French swished a three-pointer with 2:34 on the clock to even the game at 31-31. Darius Sealy (Cambridge, Mass.) then hit a jumper with 1:29 to play, and after both sides missed their ensuing shots, Elms' senior forward Jamal Hulum (Norfolk, Va.) delivered the game-tying layup as time expired in the frame to set the score at 33-33 at intermission.

After Russell hit a mid-range jumper to give Becker an early 35-33 lead in the second half, French answered with strike from beyond the arc to give Elms its first lead of the contest at 36-35.

The second half saw both teams shoot under 34-percent from the field, as neither team posted more than a six-point lead. With Becker ahead, 56-53 with 5:21 to play in the game, Elms held the Hawks scoreless for the duration of the contest.

A bucket underneath by junior forward Isaiah Odunlami (Providence, R.I.) pulled the Blazers to within one at 56-55 and jumpers by McDaniel and sophomore forward Kenneth Lockett (Atlanta, Ga.) allowed Elms to stake a 59-56 lead with 1:59 to play in regulation. A layup by French with 28 seconds left followed by a free throw from McDaniel capped a 9-0 run for the Blazers over the final 5:21 as Elms claimed a 62-56 victory.

Freshman guard Jerry Buchanon (Windsor, Conn.) finished with eight points, Odunlami notched eight rebounds and sophomore guard Piere Simpson (East Hartford, Conn.) handed out four assists.

McDaniel added four blocked shots to go along with his 19 points.

Liggon led the Hawks with an 8 for 14 shooting effort from the floor which led to a team-high 16 points. He added 11 rebounds (a team-high) and Rountree chipped in 14 points and snagged eight boards in the losing effort.

Tyler Roberson (Irvington, N.J.) contributed 10 points and Brockett finished with nine.

Elms returns to action on Saturday, January 19 when it travels to Regis College for a 3:00 p.m. NECC contest with the Pride.