ESCANABA, MI – The Bay College Men's Basketball Team (20-4, 10-0 MCCAA) opened up a lead midway through the first half and rolled to a 91-61 win at home over the Alpena Community College Lumberjacks (3-14, 2-8 MCCAA) on Wednesday evening.
The opening ten minutes of play featured four lead changes and two ties as it looked like this had the makings of a tight ball game. With about nine minutes to play in the first half and the Norse trailing by four, the home team went on a run that changed the narrative of the game.
Bay went on a 13-2 run to stake an eight-point lead. After productive possessions for both teams, the Norse led 34-27 with 5:25 remaining in the half. Alpena would get just two baskets for the remainder of the half, while Bay had five different players score during the same stretch, including Lamar Grayson (SO, Richfield, MN) rattling off six points. The 16-4 surge by the home team resulted in a 50-31 halftime lead.
The route was on from there as Bay continued to extend their lead in the second half. The Norse held a lead of 30 or more points for the last 13:30 of the game. Bay controlled the ball, only turning it over three times in the second half, while the Lumberjacks committed ten turnovers over in the same time period.
Bay shot 50.5% for the game and hit 36.0% of their shots from three-point. They would commit just seven turnovers in the game.
Meanwhile the Lumberjacks shot 39.6% and only hit two of 12 from three. They would turn the ball over 18 times.
Grayson led the Norse with 18 points, four assists, and two steals. Genesis Kemp (FR, Grand Rapids, MI), the reigning MCCAA Northern Conference Player of the Week, finished with 15 points, four rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. Michael Foust (FR, Kelso, WA) hit three of seven from three-point and ended with 13 points. Tyrel Creger (FR, Owatonna, MN) also had 11 points, five rebounds, seven assists, and one steal.
Davarion Mitchell (FR, Saginaw, MI) led all scorers with 22 points. He was ten of ten from the free throw line. James Williams (So, Flint, MI) finished with 14 points.
All eyes were glued to computer and phone screens after the game as Delta College was hosting Mid Michigan. Mid Michigan has just one loss in conference play and is right behind the Norse in the conference standings. The Pioneers defended their home court well, and gave Mid Michigan all they could handle, but in the end, it was the Lakers that held on to win in double overtime by a final of 99-95. Mid Michigan remains just one game behind Bay College in with four games left to play.
The Norse will look to make it 12 in a row when the head to Muskegon on Saturday afternoon. The last time these two teams met a few weeks ago, Bay won that matchup by a final of 90-56.