Sophomore Kyle Vinales scored 30 points for the fifth time in his career and led the Central Connecticut men's basketball team to a 73-66 home victory over Wagner on Thursday night. Vinales and the Blue Devils improve to 7-9 overall and 3-2 in Northeast Conference play. Wagner is now 9-7 overall and also 3-2 in the league.
Vinales led all scorers in the game, hitting 8-of-17 from the floor and 4-of-8 from three. He was 10-of-14 from the line and added a team-high five assists to lead the Blue Devils to the victory.
Central led 33-31 at the half, but the Seahawks came out to score the first six points of the second half to claim a four-point lead, 37-33. Central went on an 8-0 run and would never trail again in the victory. The eight points fueled an 18-4 run for the Blue Devils.
The led by as many as 10 in the half and held on for the seven point win.
Four players scored in double-figures in the win, including junior Matt Hunter who had 13 points and eight rebounds. He also had three assists, two blocks and two steals. Sophomore Adonis Burbage had 10 points and senior Joe Efese added 10 in 10 minutes of action.
Efese was 5-of-5 from the floor and added a pair of steals in the victory for CCSU.
Wagner was led by Kenneth Ortiz who had 18 points and six assists. Eric Fanning added 13 points.
The teams were tied with 35 rebounds apiece. The Blue Devils forced 14 Wagner turnovers and tuened them into 15 points.
Vinales scored 22 of his points after halftime, he was 5-of-7 from the field and 10-of-14 from the line after the break. Central made just 14-of-24 free-throws in the game, they came in as the seventh best free-throw shooting team in the country.
Central scored its final 11 points from the free-throw line, including six from Vinales and two from Burbage.
The Blue Devils return to action on Saturday hosting Mount St. Mary's beginning at 3:30 p.m. The game will air live on www.NECFrontRow.com.
