Aquinas Too Much for Men’s Basketball in 95-60 Setback

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Marygrove men’s basketball received a game-high 18 points from senior guard Darryll Dixon; but it was not enough to overcome an Aquinas College Saints squad that was firing on all cylinders, leading the Mustangs to a 95-60 loss in Grand Rapids on Saturday (Jan. 31).

The host Saints improved to 14-10 overall and 10-6 in WHAC play with the win. The Mustangs dropped their 11th in a row to move to 3-21 overall and 1-15 in conference play since defeating Olivet (Mich.) in a non-conference contest back on Dec. 15, 2014.

Dixon did his best to keep the Mustangs close early, completing an old-school three-point play to bring the Green and Gold to within two at 16-14 with 12:41 remaining in the first half. The Saints opened the game up from there by going on an 11-0 run to take a 27-14 lead into the eight-minute mark of the opening half.

Another Dixon basket put a stop to the five-minute drought for the Mustangs, but Saints held off any thought of a Green and Gold rally on their way to taking a 43-25 halftime lead. The Saints had 10 players tally at least two points in a first half that saw the hosts shoot 17-for-34 throughout the opening 20 minutes of the contest.

The 50-percent shooting effort was countered by a 29-percent effort for the Mustangs on 11-of-38 shooting.

The Mustangs struggled from distance to start the game as freshman guard Tyler Sykes (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson High School) was the lone member on the squad to connect from three-point land in a 2-for-18 opening effort for the Green and Gold. Sykes’ pair of threes accounted for all six of his first-half points, while Dixon led the way with nine for the Mustangs.

Much like the women’s squad earlier in the day, the Mustangs played the Saints tough in Saturday’s second half. Despite a gritty effort in the second half, the Mustangs dropped the conference tilt by 35 points after falling behind by 18 at the half.

The Saints depth proved to be too much as the bench went on to outscore the Mustangs reserves by a 55-8 advantage.

Dixon (Flint, Mich./Hamady High School) led all scorers with a game-high 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting, while JuJuan Armstrong (Detroit, Mich./UM-Dearborn) and Sykes chimed in with 12 points each. Sykes added a team-high seven rebounds and Armstrong pulled down six of his own to help pace a 27-board effort for the Mustangs.

Diante Taylor (Battle Creek, Mich./Central High School) chipped in with nine points for the Mustangs in the setback.

The Saints were led by Dorian Armstrong and Anthony Williams with 12 points each. In all, 11 Saints tallied at least six points in the 35-point decision over the Mustangs.

The Mustang Sports Network will carry Wednesday’s home game against UNOH live on marygrovemustangs.com/live beginning at 8 p.m. with Jeremy Otto and Jimmy Stewart on the call.

MEN’S BASKETBALL CONTACT: Tim Johnston | [email protected] /* */ | @tjohnston56
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