Syracuse, N.Y. – Darin Smith, Jr. recorded a double-double to lead Central Connecticut State University to a 69-59 victory over the Le Moyne College men's basketball team in NEC action on Saturday afternoon at Ted Grant Court.

Graduate student forward Shilo Jackson (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central/Vincennes/Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) led the Dolphins in the setback with his NEC-best eighth double-double with 13 points (nine in the second half) and 10 rebounds, while adding a team-high four assists and two blocks. Redshirt junior guard Trent Mosquera (Boston, Mass./Belmont Hill School) scored 12 second-half points. Sophomore guard Jakai Sanders (Brooklyn, N.Y./Eagle Academy/Saint Peter's) turned in 11 points.

Smith, Jr., the NEC's leading scorer at 20.3 points per game, tallied 24 points, including 14 in the second half, and pulled down 12 rebounds (2.5 times his season average), including eight in the first half. Max Frazier posted nine of his 14 points in the second half, while adding nine rebounds. Jay Rodgers finished with 12 points and four assists, while Melo Sanchez had nine of his 11 points after halftime.

After the Dolphins took a 4-2 lead on a Sanders shot in the paint, the Blue Devils scored 13 points in a row over 5:40 to take the lead for good. Frazier scored five of the points, Smith, Jr. had four and Elijah Parker and Rodgers each had two.

Le Moyne answered with nine of the next 13 points to trim its deficit to four with 7:24 remaining. Junior swingman Tennessee Rainwater (Davenport, Wash./Davenport/Utah Tech) started the span with a three-pointer, Sanders made two free throws, Jackson scored in the paint and redshirt sophomore guard Deng Garang (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Grimes) converted in the paint.

After the teams traded baskets over the next four and one-half minutes, the Blue Devils scored the final five points of the half to take a 26-17 lead at the intermission. Rodgers buried a three-pointer from the right corner as the shot clock expired and then Smith, Jr. made a lay-up 40 seconds later.

Sophomore guard Jakob Blakley (Elgin, Ill./Walter Payton Preparatory) opened the second half with a three-pointer, but Sanchez answered with two of his own around a Sanders free throw to push CCSU's lead back to 11.

The Dolphins countered with 12 of the next 16 points to pull within one possession with 13:31 to play. Mosquera and Blakley drilled three-pointers on back-to-back possessions, Jackson made a foul shot and a jumper to beat the shot clock and then Rainwater connected on another three-pointer.

After the teams traded baskets over the next 80 seconds, Blakley registered a conventional three-point play to get the Dolphins within 40-38 with 12:07 to play.

Following two more minutes of the teams alternating points, the Blue Devils scored seven of the next nine points to extend their lead to 51-43 with 8:22 remaining. Frazier had four of the points, Smith, Jr. made a jumper and Parker converted a free throw.

The Dolphins scored the next four points to get within four for the final time with 7:00 remaining, but Central Connecticut State countered with seven in a row to retake a double-digit lead. James Jones made a lay-up and then Smith, Jr. made two foul shots and a conventional three-point play with 5:18 left.

Le Moyne made one more push with six straight points to close within 58-53 with 3:27 to go. Mosquera, Garang and Jackson each scored two points in the streak.

Central Connecticut State, which has four wins over the Dolphins in the last 351 days to even the all-time series at seven wins apiece, pushed the margin back to nine as Rodgers had a conventional three-point play with 2:05 remaining and Smith, Jr. followed with a free throw 19 seconds later.

The teams alternated two-point possessions over the next 1:26 before Frazier completed the game's scoring with a foul shot with six seconds left.

Le Moyne (7-10, 2-2 NEC) is back in action next Saturday at Chicago State University at 2:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. CT.