Commodores Defeat Owens Express For Fourth Win In A Row

February 1, 2023 - - The Lorain County Community College men's basketball team secured their fourth win in a row with an 85-60 victory over the Owens Community College Express on Wednesday evening.   

From the opening tip, the Commodores (11-13, 4-8) never trailed and led by seven going into the break, 41-34. In the first ten minutes, LCCC built a 12-point lead in the first nine minutes of the first.  However, the lead wouldn't last as Owens closed the gap and tied it up at 26 with just over five minutes to play in the first.

From there, LCCC turned to their offensive playmakers for the rest of the half: Jayden Roberts, Lem Payne, Brandon Fisher, and Casey Kelley.  And it started to look like deja-vu a little bit for the Express.

Roberts scored for the Commodores to break the tie, Kelley grabbed the defensive rebound on Owens' next try and fed Payne for a basket in the paint on the other end.  On the next possession, Kelley found Fisher for a three-point basket to put the Commodores up five in just over a minute of play.

After Owens cut the Commodores' lead down to one, 35-34, Roberts, Payne and Kelley scored on consecutive possessions again to build momentum heading into the half.

LCCC kept Owens at arm's length for most of the second half but with 12 minutes left to play, they finally broke into a double-digit lead, 54-44.  As the rest of the game pressed on, a 10-point lead for the Commodores turned to 15, then to 20, culminating at 25 with just over two minutes left to play for their largest lead of the night.  They held Owens scoreless for multiple stretches in the second half limiting them to 31% shooting in the second after Owens shot 44% in the first.

Jayden Roberts (Wellington, Ohio/Wellington HS) had 22 points (9-for-13) and nine rebounds, one steal, and one block.  It is the fourth time in the last five games that Roberts has reached the 20-point plateau, averaging 23 points per game in that span.

Casey Kelley (Amherst, Ohio/Firelands HS) and Lem Payne (Philadelphia, Pa./Mount Pleasant HS) each scored 13 points and paced the offense, combining for nine assists.  Payne also had six rebounds and three steals.  Brandon Fisher (Strongsville, Ohio/Columbia HS) also joined the double-digit scoring club with 11 points, hitting three 3-pointers (3-for-5).  Bennett Sulen (Avon, Ohio/St. Edward HS) had nine rebounds and two blocks, all coming in the second half. 

LCCC will travel to Butler, Pa. to face the Pioneers of Butler County Community College this Saturday.  Butler County defeated the Commodores on December 19, 2022, 97-80.  Tip is at 3 p.m.

For more information of LCCC Athletics and LCCC Basketball, visit https://athletics.lorainccc.edu