Mitchell Scores 1,000th Career Point in 61-59 Loss To Skidmore
ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team (3-5) fell to Skidmore (4-2) Wednesday evening, losing to the Thoroughbreds by a score of 61-59 at Ben Light Gymnasium.
Senior
Frank Mitchell (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) scored 19 points in the loss, giving him 1,015 points as a Bomber. Mitchell is the 24th player in the history of the program to score 1,000 points, and the first since
Sean Rossi (Sparta, N.J./Sparta) accomplished the feat last season. Mitchell also added five steals and two assists.
Junior
Keefe Gitto (Great Barrington, Mass./Monument Mountain) scored a career-best 17 points off the bench to go along with nine rebounds, a steal and a block. Senior
Chris Jordan (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) chipped in 10 points, while sophomore
Sam Bevan (Strafford, Pa./Conestoga) paced Ithaca with seven assists.
Ithaca shot 22-of-52 (42.3 percent) from the floor, including a mark of 3-for-9 from three point range. Skidmore shot just 21-of-60 (35 percent) from the floor, but was 15-for36 from beyond the arc.
Ithaca and Skidmore traded baskets in the opening possessions of the contest, with the Thoroughbreds taking a 7-5 lead just 2:22 into the first half. The Bombers then went on a dominating 18-3 run, giving Ithaca a 23-10 advantage with 11:32 to play in the opening frame.
Skidmore was able to chip away at the Bomber lead, pulling to within eight points with just over four minutes left in the first. Ithaca answered back, closing the half with an 8-1 run to give the Bombers a 44-29 lead at the break.
Gitto opened the second half with a mid-range jumper to push Ithaca's lead to 17 points with 18:05 to play. The Thoroughbreds then rattled of an 18-1 run over a nine minute span, hitting five-straight three point shots to tie the contest at 47-47.
Both teams battled in the final nine minutes, resulting in four ties and two lead changes. Tied at 55-55, Mitchell scored four-straight points to give Ithaca the 59-55 lead with just 1:25 left in the game. Skidmore nailed a three on its next possession, pulling the Thoroughbreds to within one with a minute left in the contest. After a Bomber miss on the next possession, Skidmore hit another three to take the 61-59 lead with just 11 seconds left in the game.
Ithaca turned the ball over in its final possession, securing the 61-59 victory for the Thoroughbreds.
The Bombers are back on the court on Jan. 3, 2014, when they play conference foe Hartwick on the road. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.