Springfield, Mass. - December 30, 2023 - The Springfield College men's basketball team was clipped by Mount Saint Vincent, 66-63, on Saturday afternoon in Blake Arena in the opening game of the Hampton Inn West Springfield/Naismith Classic.

Now in its 34th year, the Hampton Inn West Springfield/Naismith Classic will conclude on Sunday, with Springfield playing in the consolation game at 12 pm. 

Springfield was paced by Zeke Blauner (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) with 15 points as he cashed in five from downtown, while Gary Bess (Miami, Fla.) tallied 13 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists.  Joe Hoch (South Ozone Park, N.Y. ) added 13 points and Josh Hartley (Brooklyn, N.Y.) pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds off the bench.  Springfield was outscored in the paint by a 30-14 margin on the day as Springfield connected on 12-of-37 from beyond the arc, shooting 20-for-67 (29%) from the field on the day. 

DJ Tucker led all scored with 23 points to go along with 11 rebounds, while Joshua Cabezudo netted 19 points to go along with seven boards of his own.  The Dolphins were 16-of-20 from the charity stripe in the game and shot 12-of-30 in the second half.

The visitors jumped out to a 5-0 just over three minutes into the game, only to have the Pride respond with three buckets from beyond the arc, as a pair of Blauner triples sandwiched a trifecta from Hoch, as the Pride took a 9-7 lead with just over 15 minutes to play. With the teams even at 13 apiece at the 9:39 mark, Springfield took control of the frame with a 7-0 surge capped off by an inside finish by Bess at 7:17. The hosts lead would grow to 25-17 on another three by Hoch at 4:14, and after the Dolphins got as close as 25-22, only to have Springfield head into the halftime break with a 32-26 edge as Blauner and Hoch combined for 20 points. 

Springfield gave up an 11-3 run in the opening two-plus minutes of the second half to fall behind 37-35, but would answer with the next five points of the game, as Bess sliced through the defense for a driving score at 16:09 to make it 40-38.  Springfield would lead by no more than four points until  Mt. St. Vincent would take a 53-52 edge on a three-point play by Tucker with 7:18 left in regulation.  Blauner would come back down and knock down a three from the left wing to put the hosts back on top with 6:52 to play and Bess elevated in the lane with 3:00 on the clock to push the Pride on top, 60-58. After Cabezudo finished inside to knot the game up at 60, he pulled up with the shot clock winding down for a mid-range bucket with 31 seconds to push MSV up by a score.   The Pride would come up empty on its next possession, and Tucker cashed in on two free throws and then got in the passing lane for a steal and score as the visitors pulled away with the 66-63 win. 

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