FREDERICKSBURG, VA-The York College men's basketball team dropped an 86-69 Capital Athletic Conference contest at the University of Mary Washington on Wednesday night in Fredericksburg, VA. The Eagles improve to 6-5 overall and 3-0 in the CAC while the Spartans, losers of six straight, fall to 3-10 overall and 1-3 in the conference.
    The Eagles trailed briefly in the game but took a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the way on a Keiran Whitworth lay up 3:33 into the game. Spartan point guard Julian Watson (Odenton, Md./Arundel) hit a jumper to cut the Eagle lead to one but Mary Washington then embarked on a sustained 24-6 run that increased their lead to 32-13 with 6:10 remaining in the half. The Spartans cut the lead to 13 twice in the later stages of the first half but ended up trailing 40-24 at the break.
    York kept their deficit into in the teens for the first six minutes of the half before the Eagles increased the lead into the 20's. The Mary Washington advantage grew to as many as 24 points twice with the last time coming at 76-42 with 5:26 remaining in the game. The Spartan reserves worked the deficit down to 14 on a Mike Atkins (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) jumper with 1:23 remaining in the game. Mary Washington hit a three in the final minute to provide for the final 17 point bulge.
    Senior guard Matt Hale led the Eagles with 26 points as he was 8-for-14 from the floor including 7-for-12 from three. Hale nailed 3-of-4 from the free throw line while he also pulled in five rebounds, handed out five assists, and three steals. Center Brandon Altmann notched a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Altmann was 7-for-14 from the floor and 6-for-8 from the free throw line. Ben Stokes was the third Eagle in double figures with 14 points.
    Junior Nick Brady (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) was the lone Spartan in double figures with 14 points while he also had six rebounds and four steals. Brady was 5-for-11 from the floor, 2-for-4 from three, and 2-for-4 from the free throw line. Watson and fellow freshmen Matt Moley (York, Pa./West York) and Paul Kouvaris (Baltimore, Md./Cardinal Gibbons) each contributed eight points to the Spartan attack.
    The Eagles finished the game shooting 43.3% from the floor, 42.9% (12-for-28) from three and 68.8% (22-for-32) from the free throw line. York shot 34.9% from the field and 20% (4-for-20) from beyond the arc. The Spartans made 21-of-32 (65.6%) from the stripe.
    Mary Washington out-rebounded their guests 49-34. York did a better job of taking care of the ball as they committed just 11 turnovers in the game while they forced 17 Mary Washington miscues.
    The Spartans return to action on Saturday afternoon when they host Salisbury University in a Capital Athletic Conference contest. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 pm in York

GAME BOX

Nick Brady photo courtesy of Eric Linsley