Braves hurt Devils' playoff chances with blowout win
PITTSFIELD -- Senior forward Tyler Benoit scored a game-high 24 points, but the defense of the Drury boys' basketball team fell apart against Taconic on Thursday night as the Braves ran away with a 73-47 win. The 73 points was the most given up by Jack Racette's team all season, topping the 67 points surrendered in a loss to Mount Anthony back in late December.Drury fell behind 23-12 after the first quarter and a five-point second quarter only made matters worse for the Blue Devils, who went into halftime down 35-17. With the loss, Drury now stands at 6-10 on the season and will need to win its final four games in order to qualify for the Western Mass. tournament.
Benoit did his job on Thursday night, hitting nine shots overall, including three 3-pointers to lead the visitors with 24 points. The Blue Devils didn't get much help from anywhere else, however, as junior Robert Jutras was the next leading scorer with only five points. The Braves (9-7) on the other hand had plenty of balance on offense as six different players scored at least nine points or more. Chris Bush led the way for Taconic with 12 points, while Zack Conklin added 10. The hosts also benefitted from making eight threes on the night, compared to just four for Drury.
The Blue Devils next play against Pittsfield in the Hoop Club Classic on Saturday.