Worcester MA- The Worcester State Lancers (15-9, 9-2) travel for their final regular season game of the year against the MCLA Trailblazers (13-10, 7-4) in the final regular season game between the two rivals. Fresh off a win against the Framingham State Rams, Worcester looks to add one more win to the column before the playoffs and post season play.
FINAL
LANCERS: 100
TRAILBLAZERS: 76
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Junior forward Aaron Nkrumah (Worcester MA) would win the tip off and just a minute later senior guard Sam Dion (Barre, MA) would score the first points for Worcester as he drove in the paint for two. Junior guard Brandon Gorris (Bronx, NY) would force the turnover and return the ball to hoop followed up by a dish to senior forward Ryan Rubenskas (Bridgewater, MA) to open his scoring. Adding to the opening scoring run would be senior guard Sam Davies (Worcester, MA). Dion, after scoring the first points of the game, would go on a run of his own as he scored eight straight for Worcester State. Sophomore forward Shawn Hebert (Ayer, MA) would join the scoring party as he drilled back to back threes as graduate student guard Zion Hendrix (Charlotte, NC) would get in the paint for two to give Worcester another deep point run. First year guard Jaylen Kirkland (Gardner, MA) would add to the scoring as he went 2-2 from the free throw line. Dion would add to his stellar first half going for back to back lay ups and an and one to put an exclamation point on the half for the Lancers who, looking for revenge from an earlier season loss, took a 46-32 lead into the half.
Dion would lead the Lancers with 20 points in the opening 20 minutes of action.
Dion, just like the first half, opened up the action for Worcester, drilling 2 free throws 90 seconds into the second half. Rubenskas would go back-to-back for two to guide the Lancers to 6-0 run to begin the second half. Gorris would go on his own 7-0 run as he drove for the hoop three straight grabbing the basket and a foul on the third one to get the "and one". He would add another bucket for Worcester as he drove towards the hoop to continue his dominant second half performance. Nkrumah would join the party using his body to drive to the hoop for a layin and would follow up after a pair of Davies free throws with a drilled corner three to extend the lead. With about 5 minutes to go Gorris would sink the three to put the dagger in MCLA's hopes for a second win over Worcester State. Hebert would drive into the paint for two and get a free throw to put the game away with a 100-76 victory for Worcester State.
Dion would end his stellar day with 25 points while Goris would be just behind with 19 points in the afternoon.
Worcester State finishes the season (16-9, 10-2) and turns their focus to the playoffs which start next week. Worcester has secured the top seed with the win, and will await their opponent in a Thursday night game on Brissette Court.