Gila Monsters Slither Past Thunderbirds Late, 72-68
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Eastern Arizona College (12-15, 5-13) | 36 | 36 | 72 |
|
Mesa Community College (5-16, 3-13) | 32 | 36 | 68 |
Eastern Arizona College
| Game Statistics | Eastern Arizona College | Mesa Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | (24-58) | (26-54) |
| Field Goal % | 41.4% | 48.1% |
| Rebounds | 30 | 32 |
| Assists | 11 | 15 |
| Turnovers | 11 | 20 |
| Pts off Turnovers | 21 | 11 |
| 2nd Chance Pts | 12 | 10 |
| Pts in the Paint | 24 | 30 |
| Fastbreak Pts | 2 | 6 |
| Bench Pts | 19 | 19 |
Saturday, February 12, 2022 - 10:20 pm | Derek Diesner
Mesa, AZ - The Mesa Thunderbirds fell in a tight contest on Saturday afternoon to Eastern Arizona College, by a final of 72-68 inside of Theo Heap Gymnasium.
With the loss, the Thunderbirds fall to 5-16 overall and 3-13 in ACCAC play. With the victory, Eastern Arizona climbs two full games ahead of Mesa for the final playoff spot in the ACCAC DI Men's Basketball tournament and improves to 12-15 overall and 5-13 in ACCAC action.
Saturday's battle between Eastern Arizona and Mesa was close throughout. In the first half, the teams both shot over 40% from the field, with the Gila Monsters taking a slim 36-32 lead into halftime.
In the second half, both teams scored 36 points apiece. The deciding factor was three-pointers and free-throw. The Thunderbirds struggled to shoot from deep, only connecting on 38% of their attempts, while Eastern converted on 66% of their attempts. The other key factor was free-throw attempts. Mesa only had seven attempts from the charity stripe in the second half, while Eastern Arizona finished with 19 attempts.
In the loss, Mesa had four players score in double-figures. Quincy Reece led the way with a team-high 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, with a team-high seven rebounds.
Saturday's contest was the kick-off to a season-ending three-game homestand for the Thunderbirds. Mesa will host Phoenix College this Monday inside of Theo Heap Gymnasium. Tip time is slated for 7:30 pm; immediately following the finish of the women's game beforehand.
Don't forget to check out the MCC Team Shop, as well as our Booster Club.
