Lions fade to Chargers, 70-54.

NEW LONDON, N.H. – January 28, 2009 – Michael McCoy (Altamonte Springs, FL) led the Eastern Nazarene College Lions with 10 points in a 70-54 loss to the Colby-Sawyer Chargers in a The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) match-up on Thursday evening. Colby-Sawyer improves to 4-2 in the TCCC and 11-7 overall. The Lions drop to 4-14 overall and 2-4 in conference play. 

Eastern Nazarene set the tone early in the game darting out to an 8-0 advantage on a pair of free throws from sophomore Chima Ezeigbo (Roanoke, Va.) and two three-pointers by junior Jonathan Atwater (Weymouth, Mass.). The Chargers responded with an 11-2 run to take their first lead of the game.

Colby-Sawyer took advantage of 17 first half Eastern Nazarene turnovers, turning them into 14 points. The Chargers held a 27-22 lead at the break as freshman Max Barbosa (Dorchester, Mass.) kept the Lions in the contest with seven points.

Eastern Nazarene cut the lead to two, 31-29, on a Aaron Johnson (Boston, Mass.) trey with 17:18 left in the second frame and only trailed by four, 50-46, with 7:36 remaining.  However, the Chargers stormed to a 17-2 run to hold a commanding 67-48 lead with 3:30 remaining in the game.  The four minute swing consisted of five Lion turnovers and the Chargers going 10 for 10 on the free throw line to put the game away.

Sophomore Mike McCoy was the only Lion to reach double-figures with 10 points. Ezeigbo had eight points and four rebounds.

The Chargers travel to Roger Williams on Saturday, January 30 for a 3:00 pm tilt with the Hawks. Eastern Nazarene will travel to Anna Maria for a 3:00 pm game with the AMCATS.