Men's Basketball Tops Norwich 71-60

NORTHFIELD, Vt. (1/28/17) – The Lasell College men's basketball team shot to a 71-60 victory against the Cadets of Norwich University in Andrews Hall on Saturday. The Lasers improve to 12-7 overall and to 9-3 against league opponents, while the Cadets fall to 7-11 while posting their seventh Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) loss of the season (4-7).

Armin Omanovic (Wilkesboro, N.C.) led all players with 28 points for Lasell. Dannie Moore's (Orlando Fla.) 13 points ranked second while Yordan Villalon (Miami, Fla.) pulled down 12 boards, earning the double-double with 11 points scored.

Junior Mike Hogervorst (Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands) scored a season-high 21 points for Norwich, leading the Cadets, while junior Darius Bryant (Calhoun Falls, S.C.) added 10 points. Junior Tommy Fitzgerald (Williston, Vt.) added a team-best seven assists off the bench, reeling in six rebounds.

Norwich led by a 10-7 margin with 3:09 expired on the first half clock, but a 13-0 scoring run by the Lasers created a 20-10 lead with 11:39 to go. Hogervorst would reduce the visitors lead to 26-21 with 5:43 to go, but a quick 5-0 run would eventually grow to an eight-point scoring spurt by Lasell.

Ahead by 13 points following three-straight free throw makes by Omanovic, the Cadets would head to the break down 14 points after yielding six-straight points to close the opening half. In the first 20 minutes alone, Lasell's up-tempo style of play would produce 14 of the game's 16 fast-break points.

Norwich would open the second half strong as junior Ryan Fitzgerald (Winchester, Mass.), Bryant and Hogervorst would add baskets before an Omanovic bucket slowed the Cadets temporarily. Bryant would follow with a trey and back-to-back free throws and, following a Lasell turnover, Hogervorst would get a layup to go and cut the Lasell lead to 44-41.

Lasell grew its lead to six points on the next few possessions and ultimately reclaimed a 12-point advantage following a Blair triple with 7:56 left in regulation time. The Cadets would seemingly have an answer for each Lasers scoring run, at one point cutting the second half lead to 62-58, but Lasell would be up to the task in re-establishing a sizeable lead.

Both teams return to action on Wednesday, February 1. Lasell hosts Anna Maria College, while Norwich welcomes Mount Ida College to Northfield. Both games are slated for a 7:00 p.m. tip.

Content Courtesy of Norwich Athletic Communications