UMass-Boston Outdistances Classics, 72-54; Bergen, Healy Amass 33 in Losing Effort

With the University of Massachusetts-Boston trailing 18-17, Mike Mitchell hit two baskets in a row to give them a lead they never relinquished to the Harvard Classics last night. UMass went on to win by eighteen points, 72-54, and Mitchell finished with 28 points.

According to Classics coach John Harvey, the UMass coach told him before the game, "Your guys better be ready." UMass was eager to avenge their loss to the Classics earlier this season.

Kevin "Kal" Kallaugher, a guard for the Classics, said his squad had missed their Wednesday night training meal at Fathers Six. The Classics also lacked the services of injured high scorers Kevin McLaughlin and Pete Durgerian, who nonetheless lent moral support playing his harmonica.

The Classics played sloppily from the start, and the rebounding of UMass' Larry Higginsbottom kept them away from the boards. Only the shooting of Chuck Bergen and Marty "Bad News" Healey kept the Classics in the game.

Mitchell's two buckets started a 17-6 spree which he finished off with a basket with three seconds remaining in the half, giving UMass a 35-25 lead.

The Classics swarmed all over UMass at the beginning of the second half. Healey hit from the corner to cut the margin to eight.

Todd Hooks then stole the ball from Mitchell and fed Kallaugher on the fly who passed it to Healey underneath for the basket. Kallaugher followed this up by stealing the ensuing inbound pass and laying it in to cut the UMass lead to four.

That was as close as the Classics came, however. Umass took advantage of the fast break, Harvard's poor shooting and sloppy play to build a 20-point lead with nine minutes left.

Kevin McCluskey then hit two foul shots to close the margin, but the Classic's last gasp fell short by 12 points. Bergen finished with 17 points while Healey notched 16.

"It was about as bad as we could play," said coach Harvey, blaming the loss on too many turnovers. "We played dumb," he said.

Hooks put the game into perspective when he said, "I'm sure glad we had a good time. I hate losing and having a bad time".