Minutemen misfire in loss

Forward Ron Robinson scored 21 points, including two free throws with 5.6 seconds left, as Central Connecticut rallied from a 9-point deficit to defeat UMass, 53-52, last night.

The Minutemen (2-4), who were coming off a disheartening overtime loss to Boston College over the weekend, have 11 days to regroup before facing Marshall.

Leading, 31-27, at halftime, UMass outscored Central Connecticut, 10-5, over the first 4:35 to take a 41-32 lead. But the Minutemen squandered opportunities to get the lead into double digits. On their next possession, they missed six consecutive shots. Central Connecticut (2-1) rallied to get within 46-45 on a bank shot by Robinson with 8:07 left.

Robinson scored inside to tie the score, 47-47, and with 4:18 left, he scored on a hook shot to give Central Connecticut a 51-49 advantage. The Minutemen, all but abandoning outside jump shots, also failed to connect on layups and tip-in attempts.

After going 5:11 without scoring, the Minutemen took a 52-51 lead with 2:10 left when Anthony Anderson sank a trey to beat the shot clock. Central Connecticut failed to score on its next possession but got the ball back on a tieup with 27.5 seconds remaining.

With 5.6 left, Robinson was fouled by UMass center Gabe Lee and hit both to give the Blue Devils a 53-52 advantage. On the Minutemen's final possession, forward Jeff Viggiano inbounded to Anderson, who turned the ball over after being swarmed by the defense. Central Connecticut guard Justin Chiera came away with the ball and dribbled out the clock.

UMass was without freshman guard Art Bowers, who sprained his right ankle Saturday against BC. Freshman Maurice Maxwell started in his place. UMass scored the game's first 5 points before Central Connecticut answered with consecutive treys. Anderson scored on a trey, and after Robinson scored on a reverse layup, Maxwell hit a baseline jump shot to give UMass a 12-8 lead.

Then forward Rashaun Freeman took over the Minutemen's scoring load. The freshman scored on a layup and fadeaway jumper, helping the Minutemen keep pace, 16-16. Anderson sank another trey to put the Minutemen ahead, 19-16.

Freeman hit one of two free throws, then scored inside while being fouled to give the Minutemen their biggest lead of the half, 22-16. However, he missed the subsequent free throw.

Misses like that prevented the Minutemen from building a larger lead, and reserve guard T. Ron Christy scored 4 points in a 7-0 Blue Devils run to put Central Connecticut ahead, 23-22.

A hook shot by Central Connecticut forward Rob Barrett tied the score, 26-26, with 1:21 remaining in the half. Then Anderson drove to the basket, drew the defense, and kicked the ball out to guard Brennan Martin, who sank a trey to put the Minutemen ahead, 29-26 with 59 seconds remaining. After a free throw by Central Connecticut guard Lenny Jefferson, Martin scored on a pull-up jumper for the final score of the half -- giving the Minutemen a 31-27 lead.