Men's Basketball battles Eastern Arizona College in conference home opener
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Eastern Arizona College | 46 | 48 | 94 |
|
Mesa Community College | 33 | 30 | 63 |
Eastern Arizona College
| Game Statistics | Eastern Arizona College | Mesa Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (36-64) | (21-59) |
| Field Goal % | 56.3% | 35.6% |
| Rebounds | 47 | 28 |
| Assists | 12 | 13 |
| Turnovers | 15 | 15 |
Monday November 27, 2023 - 1:00 p.m. | Dylan DeVlieger
MCC Men's Basketball kicks off conference play at home against Eastern Arizona College on Tuesday night.
EAC comes into play on Tuesday with a 5-3 overall record, winning three of their last five matchups. The three losses the Gila Monsters suffered were all nail-biters as they lost two games by a single point, and one by eight.
Eastern Arizona College does a good job of protecting the ball, surrendering just 13.3 turnovers per contest - second best in the conference. EAC crashes the glass well as they average 42.3 rebounds per game, fourth best in the ACCAC.
Mesa has had a bumpy start to the season, after two close losses in their first three contests they seem to have regained their footing with a big win over Community Christian College, 90-70.
A commonality in both of MCC's losses this season have been slow starts, in both games MCC was outscored in the opening half by 10 points on average. In their two wins on the year the Thunderbirds were able to get a good start to the game as they outscored their opponents by 16.5 points.
T-Birds Keys to the Game:
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Crash the glass - MCC ranks third in the conference when it comes to offensive rebounds as they grab 16 per game. Second chance opportunities will be key for Mesa to secure a win.
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Take quality shots - Mesa ranks towards the back end of the pack when it comes to field goal percentage (30.4%). EAC holds their opponents to 38.9% from the floor, getting quality looks and connecting on them on a regular basis will be vital for MCC.
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Long / Lual - Pearse Long and Lual Lual lead the Thunderbirds in scoring on the year as Long averages 20 PPG and Lual 17 PPG. This 1-2 punch will have to be on their A game on Tuesday for MCC to compete to the best of their ability and secure a win.
The game will tip-off at 7:30 p.m. at Theo Heap Gymnasium. admission is free with the donation of a non-perishable food item.
Can't make the game? MCC Athletics has you covered, tune into T-Birds Sports Live to catch all the action!
