ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (Jan. 29, 2016) – Every game for the Molloy College men's basketball team from now until the end of next month is going to carry a heightened level of importance with the East Coast Conference Tournament in sight. As of now, the Lions are eighth-best in the ECC standings and have a chance to make a monumental statement on Saturday (Jan. 30) when Saint Thomas Aquinas rolls into town for a 2:30 p.m. matinee.
The Lowdown on the Lions
An 11-0 run to open the first half started Molloy off on the right foot, but it was a 19-6 half-ending spurt that helped guide the Lions to a 96-81 victory over Mercy College on Wednesday (Jan. 27). The 96 points were the most scored by the maroon and white all season and represented the highest point total in a win since Jan. 7, 2015 when Molloy knocked off UDC by a score of 98-81. The Lions shot an impressive 53.1% from the field in the win, helped along by 20 points off of 13 Mavericks' turnovers to complete the victory.
he Picture-Perfect Dunk Heard 'Round RVC
Nothing more needs to be said about the moment provided Wednesday night by senior forward Kevin Bowles (Wantagh, N.Y.), which you can view here.
Skin of Their Teeth
Molloy pushed the Spartans against the ropes with as much as a 13-point lead in the second half. But at Aquinas Hall, no lead is truly safe; the Lions found that out when the Spartans rallied to take a 76-74 win in Sparkill on free throws by ECC Preseason Player of the Year Chaz Watler (Brooklyn, N.Y.). It was a disheartening blow for the maroon and white, which forced 26 STAC turnovers and converted them into 32 points on the afternoon.
Unstoppable?
Tobin Anderson's team has not lost since Dec. 19, 2015. That means that Saint Thomas Aquinas is owners of a nine-game winning streak and a perfect 8-0 record in 2016. The Spartans' most recent win, a 78-65 victory over Queens College on Wednesday (Jan. 27) was built on a combined 46 points from Watler, red-shirt sophomore forward Justin Reyes (Haverhill, Mass.) and guard Shaquille McFarlan (Mesic, N.C.).
Reyes' MVP-Caliber Season
Reyes, in particular, has had a dynamic impact on the maroon and gold in the 2015-16 campaign. He was named the DII Player of the Week on Jan. 12 for the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association for a week in which he averaged 26 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in two wins against Daemen and Roberts Wesleyan. The impact extends to his season stats, which include top-5 rankings in points (17.6) and rebounds per game (10.4) as well as the conference's best field goal shooting percentage at 62.4%. Basically, the game plan for Molloy has to involve the containment of Reyes; otherwise it could be a long afternoon for the Lions in Rockville Centre.
A Look At True Dominance
Saint Thomas Aquinas currently ranks first in the East Coast Conference in the following statistical categories: total points (1526), field goals made per game (30.8), field goal percentage (50.4%) and points allowed per game (71.0). The Spartans have the second-best rebounding margin (plus-6.9) and rank third in free-throw percentage (71.7%) and steals per game (7.6). Tobin Anderson's club is also ranked seventh in the nation with a 50.4% field goal percentage, and Reyes is sixth in double-doubles (11) and offensive rebounds per game (3.89).
