WOLFVILLE, N.S. – Riding on a four game winning streak, the Axemen basketball team was unable to extend the streak to five as they fell short in a 75-71 loss to the defending AUS champion Dalhousie Tigers.
The U Sports No. 7 ranked Tigers' rookie Alex Carson (Lower Sackville, N.S.) netted a team high 19 points in the win over the then first place Axemen.
Out to a 10-3 lead on the back of two Kyle Arseneault (Fredericton, N.B.) three-point baskets, Acadia could not hold the Tigers from coming back in the first quarter. Down 14-13 after one period, Dalhousie tied the game at 18 early in second quarter on an Alex Carson three-point shot.
Carson, Nick De Palma and Kyle Arseneault exchanged threes to bring the score to 24-21 Acadia and Arseneault added this third triple point basket followed by a three-pointer by Matt McVeigh (Tantallon, N.S.) pushed the point total to 29-26 for the Axemen.
A 30-29 Tiger lead, after a Kashrell Lawrence (Brampton, Ont.) jump shot plus one, would hold into the remaining minutes of the first half as Dalhousie's Jarred Reid (Aurora, Ont.) drained two consecutive threes to close out the first half with a 40-35 Tiger lead.
Dalhousie held onto a narrow advantage throughout the third frame despite the Axemen dropping three three-point baskets in the early minutes of second half.
Ahead 57-56 after three quarters, Dalhousie's 7-0 run in the opening minutes of the final quarter, gave the Tigers some breathing room. An Acadia 64-63 lead off of an Erik Nissen (Quispamsis, N.B.) layup was all the Axemen could muster up in the final frame.
The Tigers pushed to a 69-64 lead with 3:30 remaining in regulation time off of two Kashrell Lawrence layups and an Alex Carson jump shot. Carson's three-point bucket with 1:39 remaining, killed the come-back as the Tigers held onto the lead to close out the game.
The Axemen were led by Erik Nissen's 20 points and 11 rebounds. Nick De Palma (Bedford, N.S.) and Kyle Arseneault added 19 and 15 respectively. Carson led the Tigers with 19 and Kashrell Lawrence and Jarred Reid added 14 and 12. Tiger Ritchie Kanza Mata (Toronto, Ont.) was named the Subway Player of the Game for his 11 assists.
The Axemen close out the 2016 portion of the regular season with a second place 4-3 record and a game in hand. The Tigers, tied with Acadia with 12 points, improve to 5-1 and finish the first half of the season at UNB this Saturday.