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Andre Evans Jr. vs. Centenary
96
Winner Centenary University CU 3-2
63
Medgar Evers Cougars MEDGAR 0-5
Winner
Centenary University CU
3-2
96
Final
63
Medgar Evers Cougars MEDGAR
0-5
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Centenary University CU 51 45 96
Medgar Evers Cougars MEDGAR 25 38 63

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Balanced Cyclones too much for Cougars as Medgar Evers drops home opener

The Medgar Evers men's basketball team dropped its home opener on Thursday evening, falling to the Cyclones of Centenary University by a score of 96-63. The contest was played at the Cougars Cave in Brooklyn, NY. With the defeat, Medgar Evers is now 0-5 on the 2024-2025 campaign, while the Cyclones improved to 3-2, winning their third consecutive game.

Despite the loss for the Cougars, senior Ryan Panagakos scored a team-high 16 points, connecting on five of his nine attempts from the floor, and all four of his free throw opportunities. He also snatched five rebounds and registered a steal. Veteran Andre Evans Jr. netted 13 points, tied for the team-high of six rebounds, and led all Cougars with three assists, and Joshua Jean Pierre finished with eight points, four boards, and a pair of assists.

Five players scored in double figures for Centenary, including Devin Strickland (8-10 FG), as he scored a game-high 19 points while collecting seven rebounds and dishing three assists. Kenneth Rankin added 17 points, seven boards, and four helpers, and Michael Salvatore finished with 15 points, a game-high eight assists, four rebounds, and three steals. Naire Preston and Justin Carbone scored 15 and 12 points, respectively, and Brandon Yale's 10 rebounds was a game-high.

Trailing 6-2 in the opening minutes, Medgar Evers rattled off six consecutive points, courtesy of a bucket apiece by Panagakos, Evans Jr., and Pierre, to take an 8-6 advantage. Centenary responded with a 19-5 run over the ensuing 6:19 to catapult ahead by a score of 25-13 with 9:27 remaining in the first half.

Another 6-0 run by Medgar Evers (four points by Daniel McCollum, and a hoop by Pierre) inched the Cougars to within six at 25-19, but Centenary turned up the voltage after that. The Cyclones outscored Medgar Evers 26-6 for the remainder of the half to take a commanding 51-25 edge as the teams headed into the locker room at halftime.

In the second half, Medgar Evers trailed by as many as 34 (66-32) before scoring 20 of the next 28 points to close to within 22 (74-52) with 7:54 to go. That aforementioned spurt was highlighted by newcomer Ahmed Toure's six points, and four by Evans Jr. The Cyclones doubled-up the Cougars in scoring (22-11) the rest of the way to account for the 33-point triumph (96-63).

The Cyclones were the more efficient team shooting the basketball, connecting on 49.4 percent of their attempts from the floor (40-81), compared to a 39.1 percent conversion rate (25-64) for the Cougars. Centenary held a staggering 59-29 edge on the glass, while also dishing 32 assists to Medgar Evers' 10. The Cougars did win the turnover battle, committing 15 miscues, while the Cyclones finalized their evening with 17, and the teams registered seven steals apiece.

The Cougars will look to get in the win column on Tuesday evening, as Medgar Evers welcomes the Bears of St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) to the Cougars Cave. Start-time for that contest is scheduled for 7:00pm.
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