Men's Basketball Clipped By Rams In MASCAC Action

Von Zboray leads the way with team-best 19 points for Green & Gold

Fitchburg, MA – The Fitchburg State Men's Basketball team dropped a tough 75-71 decision to the Rams of Framingham State this afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action from the Parkinson Gymnasium

The Basics

Score: Fitchburg State 71, Framingham State 75

Records: Fitchburg State (6-7, 0-2 MASCAC) | Framingham State (8-5, 1-1 MASCAC)

How It Happened

First Half

Fitchburg State raced out to a 9-0 advantage on a three-ball from junior Takoma Rosario (Vista, CA) and layups by Rosario and junior Joshua Jean Charles (Dorchester, MA) before Framingham State cut the deficit to 14-9 as senior Vondre Chase (Watertown, MA) connected on a three pointer.

The Falcons pushed the margin to 24-12 when senior Nicolas Von Zboray (Sacramento, CA) drained a three-pointer, but the Rams answered back with Chase and junior Dyree Rogers (New City, NY) registering buckets to take a 30-24 lead.

The visitors upped the lead to 39-34 as junior Makyle Hayes (Boston, MA) netted a layup before the Green and Gold knotted the score at 40-40 when senior Trevor Oliver (Douglas, MA) hit a jumper. Framingham State took a 42-40 edge into the break though with Chase notching a free-throw.

Second Half

Following the intermission, Framingham State extended the lead to 46-42 as Rogers registered a basket before Fitchburg State answered with a layup by Jean Charles to make the score 50-49

The Falcons regained the advantage 55-50 with baskets from junior Matthew Drayton (Roxbury, MA) and classmate Xavier Smaltz (Allentown, PA), but the Rams responded as graduate student AJ Thompson (Mebane, NC) netted a layup for the 56-55 edge.

The Green and Gold grabbed the lead back at 69-64 when Von Zboray connected on back-to-back three-ball before the visitors retied the contest at 69-69 on a three-ball by Rogers. Framingham State grabbed the advantage back with buckets from junior Fallou Koite (Glendale, MD) and Rogers and secured the victory as Fallou sank a pair from the charity stripe, resulting in the 75-71 final.

Inside the Numbers

• Von Zboray led the way for the Falcons with a team-best 19 points and three rebounds
• Drayton added 11 points, four caroms and one assist for the Green & Gold
• For the Rams, Rogers finished with a game-leading 25 points, four boards and three steals
• Chase chipped in 14 points, five rebounds and one block
• Fitchburg State shot 24-for-54 (44.4%) from the field and (7-of-19) 36.8% from three point range
• Framingham State finished 23-of-51 (45.1%) overall and (4-for-13) 30.8% for beyond the arc
• The Falcons held a 37-33 advantage on the glass

Up Next

Falcons return to action on Wednesday as they travel to Worcester State to take on the Lancers in MASCAC action starting at 7:00PM.

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