Redhawks Suffer First Conference Loss in AMCC Championship Rematch

Redhawks Suffer First Conference Loss in AMCC Championship Rematch

BUFFALO, NY -- The La Roche men's basketball team suffered their first conference loss of the season, falling at Medaille 92-78. The Redhawks are 5-4 on the season and sit a half game back with a 3-1 AMCC record.

La Roche and Medaille were about even on the boards and both were turnover prone. The difference came from the three-point line where Medaille shot 47% to La Roche's 24%. 

The Redhawks shot a solid 46% from the field and an excellent 21 of 24 on free throws. Medaille was 28 of 36 from the foul line.

Dion Etheridge paced the Redhawks with 14 points while Zach Gould and Arnes Bajgora each scored 13. Trell Thomas hit double figures with 11 points and Evan Brown had a career-high 10 points off the bench. Mike Hollenbeck led the Mavericks with 24 points and 7 rebounds.

It was apparent early on that Medaille's game-plan would revolve around the three-point line. The Mavericks opening fifteen points all came on shots from distance as they worked to an 18-6 lead just five minutes in.

Zach Gould quieted the Medaille crowd draining two threes in seventeen seconds to cut the deficit in half. Medaille stretched the lead back to eleven but the Redhawks defense clamped down and began to chip away at the lead.

La Roche closed the gap to just 32-30 with a 12-3 run. Trell Thomas hit a jumper to start the run and Evan Brown drained a three to get within five. Medaille's Justice Fagan answered with a three but Thomas and Darius Lawrence hit free throws to run a tweleve point deficit to just two.

Brandon Roach sparked a 14-2 Maverick run with a three-pointer at the 5:48 mark of the first half. Austin Hannes closed the first half with a three and La Roche entered halftime trailing 46-35.

Medaille hit 7 of 9 three pointers and 11 of 15 free throws in the first half. 

The Mavericks opened up a fifteen point second half lead but again La Roche clawed their way back.

Gould sparked the run with a steal and found Darrell Barron on a fast break layup to cut the deficit to single digits. Etheridge followed with a pair of free throws to make it a 60-53 game with 11:55 left. 

The Redhawks stayed within striking distance but they could not get closer than seven points. Medaille eventually stretched a seven point lead to eighteen and held on for the victory.

La Roche will travel to John Carroll on Tuesday for an AMCC vs OAC matchup. John Carroll is currently 7-1 and ranked twenty-ninth in the country. They are averaging 106 points per game, sixth in the nation.