HAMDEN — Quinnipiac men’s basketball started its season with a 79-68 win over Divison III opponent Albertus Magnus in an exhibition game Wednesday night. What kept this game so close? Errors.
The Bobcats’ offense started slowly, struggling to hit shots from the field. It wasn’t long before Quinnipiac fell behind 12-4 at the first media timeout, with Albertus Magnus coming out hot.
“It was a great challenge for us, a good game for us to play. You don’t need to play a Division III team and win by 40, that doesn’t make you a better team,” head coach Tom Pecora said.
The Bobcats tried to shake off the rust, especially in the first half, with Pecora mixing and matching players for the future — the main goal in an exhibition game. Three of the five freshmen took the court for the first time, with guard Jaden Zimmerman and forward Grant Randall seeing a majority of those minutes.
“(Jaden) Zimmerman and (Grant) Randall are very talented freshmen. They have the physical ability to play in a game like that,” Pecora said. “They’ve got to learn the little things. That’s why I gave them the minutes they got; I want to be able to put them right into a rotation as we move forward.”
The Bobcats played a much better second half, putting their foot on the gas and trying to put away the opponent. After not playing much in the first half, junior forward and co-captain Amarri Monroe showcased his skills both offensively and defensively, finishing with 18 points and eight rebounds. Graduate student forward Paul Otieno also shined, ending the night with a double-double, 16 points and 10 rebounds.
“Paul (Otieno) was tremendous. He had a double-double, and he gets every ball that’s on the ground. He’s relentless, and he’s the one guy I was pleased with,” Pecora said. “But with our captains and our veterans, there wasn’t a whole lot to be excited about. It could be a wake-up call for them.”
But in spite of a standout night from Otieno, the game was filled with turnovers for the Bobcats.Albertus Magnus was stronger on the boards, leading to 20 more shot attempts than Quinnipiac, which helped it hang tough in the game.
The Falcons capitalized on free throws, going x-x, making it difficult for Quinnipiac to defend and get opportunities..
One notable change on the evening was senior guard Doug Young starting over senior forward Alexis Reyes. Young finished with 12 points and showcased his ability to create chances and shoot the three-ball, having shot 35% last season.
“We’re competing for playing time and starting positions all the time. (Reyes) didn’t have a great practice yesterday. He’s a veteran and a captain, and there’s so much more to being a captain, as well as being a good player,” Pecora said.
Although Quinnipiac got the win, there was a lot to be desired in terms of the crispness of play. The Falcons played the Bobcats closely and capitalized on mistakes. The Bobcats’ lead in the second half was only in single digits until four minutes remained in regulation when Young hit a three to increase the lead to 11. Quinnipiac wouldn’t let up from there, earning the victory.
The Bobcats will now start the regular season with non-conference. First up will be the Yale Bulldogs, as Quinnipiac heads to New Haven on Nov. 6. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
“We’re going to be playing better opponents, starting with a really good Yale team on Monday. In the first week, we face Yale and St. John’s,” Pecora said. “It’s all about desire, toughness, and grit, so we’ve got to get gritty.”
