Colby Community College men roll past MCC 95-72

COLBY, Kan. – Colby Community College handed the McCook Community College men a 95-72 loss Monday to break in the new Events Center in Colby. The Trojans raced to a 52-37 halftime lead and shot 59.6 percent from the field to defeat MCC for the second Monday in a row.

"We just didn't play well tonight," said MCC Coach Jacob Brandl. "Hats off to Colby and executing their game plan." Colby downed MCC 83-81 to open the season in McCook Nov. 1.

MCC got in foul trouble Monday and the team's five starters committed 23 of the team's 28 fouls which put the Trojans at the foul line 37 times.

 "Tonight had to be a next guy up mentality when Julian Lual got his fouls early, and we didn't get that," Brandl said.

Shemar Dennis (Worcester, Mass.) led MCC in scoring with 19 points. Mykel Thomas (Orlando, Fla.) came off the bench to score 14 points and DaMiene Boles Jr. (Dayton, Ohio) scored 11 points.

MCC shot 37.3 percent from the field made four of 16 shots (25 percent) from the arc, and 12 of 19 from the free-throw line (63.2 percent).

Sophomore Martin Poznanovic (Uzice, Serbia) pulled down eight rebounds to lead MCC, Shemar Dennis had six. The Trojans out-rebounded MCC 46-31.

Colby shot 59.6 percent from the field, made eight of 21 3-pointers (38.2 percent) and went to the free-throw line 37 times making 25 (67.6 percent).

Five players for Colby scored in double-figures led by 22 points from Tyrone Marshall Jr. and Ronald Mitchell who had 21. The Trojans go to 3-1 on the season.

"I trust our basketball team and know we will be better, from the coaches to the players it was just a tough night and we will be better," Brandl said. "I trust in our captains and our culture."

MCC falls to 1-3 and head to Great Bend, Kan. for the Barton Booster Club Classic this weekend. MCC will play the Blue Dragons of Hutchinson Community College (3-0) in a 3 p.m. match Friday then take on the host Cougars (3-0) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.