Second half comeback nets MCC eighth straight

BROCKTON, MA – Shanika Hines (Manchester) scored 23 points as Manchester Community College came back from a 14-point halftime deficit to beat Massasoit CC 80-70 Saturday afternoon in Brockton, MA.

Hines had 10 rebounds and was 3 for 6 from three point range in the second half, after missing all seven attempts in a first half that ended with a 38-24 Massasoit lead. Erika Murphy (Torrington) had 21 points and nine rebounds as MCC improved to 16-2 with its eighth straight win.

“We struggled in the first half,” Head Coach Robert Turner said. “The comeback was a group effort. It started at the beginning of the second half up to the ten-minute mark. We caught up and passed them and kept going.”

Katurah Andrews (East Hartford) had 15 points turning it up in the second half when she was 6 for 9 from the floor. The sophomore, who missed her first game in two years last week at Springfield Tech, had four rebounds and added a pair of blocks to her team leading total that now stands at 38. Jhenel Franklin (Windsor) had eight points and 12 assists and continues to lead all NJCAA Division III players in the category with 190.

“Our press was not very good in the first half,” Turner conceded. “But we put it back on in the second half and it worked.”

Joneiha Vega had 21 points and Theresa O’Neil followed with 17 to lead Massasoit (10-5).

The Cougars play their final home game of the year on Wednesday at 8pm game at East Catholic against UConn-Avery Point, the only team to beat them on the court this season. The Lady Pointers, who are 18-4 after a 57-44 loss to Dean College Saturday afternoon, beat MCC 77-75 in Groton on December 16th. Turner’s sophomores, who are 36-5 over two seasons, look to close out the home portion of the 2008-09 schedule undefeated. The Cougars have won all ten games played at East