The ENC men’s basketball team is 15-7 overall and 9-6 in conference play, putting them in 4th place in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.
After a seven-game winning streak that lasted most of January, the Lions lost four of five from Jan. 23 to Feb. 2. Their lone win was an 89-83 overtime victory over Nichols College on Jan. 29.
Senior Chima Ezeigbo (Roanoke, Va.) scored his 1,000th career point in the win. He led the team with 18 points and 12 rebounds in the game.
On Jan. 23, the Lions lost by five points to Roger Williams, who they had beat by 29 points less than two months prior.
ENC started the game with a 9-2 run fueled by three 3-pointers, two by senior Mike McCoy (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) and one by senior Aaron Johnson (Roslindale, Mass.). Despite a six-point lead at the end of the first half, ENC lost to the Hawks 71-66.
“[Losing the game] just didn’t seem right. Last time we played them, we executed, we did all the right things. The fact that we went there and they ended up beating us, it was just something that didn’t fit too well,” said senior Max Barbosa (Dorchester, Mass.).
ENC lost again on Jan. 26, falling to Wentworth 76-71. The Lions – led by 18 second-half points from Jaylen Owens (Johns Creek, Ga.) – cut the deficit to one point with about four minutes left to play, but the Leopards hit three foul shots in the final twelve seconds to capture the victory.
After their win over Nichols, the Lions lost close games to Salve Regina and Gordon College.
The Lions got back on track with their second win over the University of New England this season on Feb. 6.
Justin Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) hit six 3-pointers in the 74-57 victory. He tallied 18 points on the evening.
Owens added a team-high nine assists that night, along with five steals.
Men’s basketball’s Feb. 9 game at Western New England was rescheduled to Feb. 14 due to inclement weather.
ENC takes on Curry College in the final home game of the regular season tonight, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. in the Lahue PE Center.