Box Score

DUDLEY, Mass. – The Nichols College men's basketball suffered a 78-71 defeat to Eastern Nazarene in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action Thursday evening at the Nichols Athletic Center.

Sophomore Matt Langadas (Casco, Maine) registered 13 points and eight rebounds for the Bison (6-6, 1-4 CCC) while junior and leading scorer Ryan Sheehan (North Attleboro, Mass.) scored a team-high 22 points but shot just 6-of-17 from the floor. Senior Kyle Mascilak (Sparta, N.J.) and Justin Kuntz (Wallingford, Conn.) each netted eight points for Nichols.

Senior Chimo Ezeigbo (Roanoke, Va.) recorded a double-double with 22 points and a game-high 17 rebounds as the Lions improved to 8-3 (3-2 CCC) with the win. Classmate Mike McCoy (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) was one of four ENC student-athletes in double-figures with 13 points while junior Brian Hard (Weymouth, Mass.) went for 13 points and freshman Jaylen Owens (Johns Creek, Ga.) tallied 10 points and a game-high eight assists.

Eastern Nazarene shot 44 percent from the field and won the game at the free throw line, making 12-of-14 attempts (86 percent). Overall, the Lions sank 45 percent of their shots while holding the Bison to 36 percent – including 5-of-25 from behind the arc (20 percent). Nichols outrebounded the visitors 43-41 and won the turnover battle 17-14.

The Lions opened up a five-point lead at 18-13 midway through the first half behind 12 points from Ezeigbo. Nichols responded with an 18-8 run to open up a five-point advantage (31-26) with 3:00 to go in the half, and took a two-point lead into the locker room at halftime. Ezeigbo led all scorers in both points (12) and rebounds (eight) through the opening 20 minutes while Langadas had 10 points to pace the Bison.

The two teams traded blows in a second half which featured four ties before Eastern Nazarene went ahead for good 61-60 on a layup by McCoy with 6:47 remaining. A three-ball by senior Aaron Johnson (Roslindale, Mass.) gave the Lions a 68-61 lead with less than four minutes remaining in regulation, and a layup by Ezeigbo at 2:11 extended their lead to nine.

Overall, the contest featured eight lead changes and seven ties.

The Bison return to action on Saturday when they head to Biddeford, Maine for a 3:00 p.m. contest with the Nor'easters. The Lions host Western New England Saturday at 3 p.m.