Nov. 25, 2008
BEVERLY, Mass. - Colby College senior guard Artie Cutrone (Garden City, N.Y.) scored a team-high 18 points, including six down the stretch, as the Mules held off Endicott College, 65-56, on Tuesday evening in Beverly, Massachusetts. With the win, Colby improves to 3-2 overall while Endicott evens up at 2-2.
The Gulls opened the game by quickly staking a 14-2 lead. Junior Graham Whitelaw (Kennebunk, Maine) knocked down seven of his career-high 30 points during the run, giving Endicott a 12 point advantage just five minutes into the game.
Despite the deficit, Colby made adjustments on both ends of the court and began to slow the Endicott outburst. The Mules held the Gulls scoreless over the next five minutes, going on a 12-0 run to even the game at 14-all with 9:15 left in the half. Colby would extend its lead to as many as nine in the opening frame, 33-24, however the Gulls sprinted into the break after an Aaron Karkow (Uncasville, Conn.) jumper found its mark and Whitelaw connected on a four-point play to make it a 33-30 game at the intermission.
The two sides traded points for much of the second half, with Endicott making it a two-point game off a three-ball from freshman Tanner McEntee (Del Mar, Calif.). The Mules responded with consecutive buckets, a lay-up by Christian Van Loenen (Falmouth, Maine) and a three-pointer by Kyle Donovan (Portland, Maine). The Gulls were once again able to cut it down to two with 7:51 left in regulation as Whitelaw dialed in from behind the arc with one of his five three's, making it 50-48.
After a hard fought two from Whitelaw, Justin Martin (Cromwell, Conn.) worked his way to the free-throw line where he connected on consecutive attempts, giving Endicott a one point lead with 3:40 remaining. The Mules, as they did all night, responded with back-to-back buckets. Michael Russell (Wellesley, Mass.) buried a pull-up jumper, and then Artie Cutrone made it a three point game as he banked in an impressive shot falling away from the hoop.
Unfortunatly for Endicott, the Gulls went cold down the stretch as they went 0-for-6 in the final 3:40, allowing Colby to notch a 65-56 win.
Cutrone ended the night with 18 point, six assists, five rebounds and two blocks. Kyle Donovan was the only other Mule to reach double figures as he had 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting. Colby's bench outscored the Endicott reserves, 28-9.
Endicott was led by a career-high 30 points from Graham Whitelaw. The Endicott junior was 11-of-18 from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point territory. Whitelaw also snatched three steals in the loss. Ross Stewart (Palm Harbor, Fla.) had nine points while Justin Martin had four points and six rebounds for the Blue and Green.
Endicott returns to action after the Thanksgiving holiday as the Gulls will play in the Western Connecticut State University Tournament on Saturday and Sunday in Danbury, Conn. Colby retakes the court on December 1st as the Mules will take on the University of New England. Game time is slated for 7:30 p.m. in Biddeford, Maine.
