NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Senior Justice Washington (Hamden, Conn.) became the 20th member of the 1,000-point club as the Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team closed out its regular season with a lopsided 87-51 win over New England College in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) game inside The Nest on Saturday afternoon.

Washington needed just seven points coming into the game to achieve the milestone and he finished with eight points on the day, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the field.

Antonio Bonilla (Tenafly, N.J.), Kevin Crawford (Bridgeport, Conn.) and Saikwon Williams (Norwalk, Conn.) were also honored before the game. Bonilla finished 18 points, going 6-for-11 from three-point range. Crawford finished with 14 points, five assists and four rebounds and two electric dunks that brought The Nest to its feet early in the first half. Williams filled the stat sheet, finishing with five points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals.

The Falcons never trailed in the game.

Albertus locked in the second seed for the upcoming GNAC tournament. 

THE BASICS

FINAL: Albertus Magnus 87 | New England College 51

RECORDS: Albertus Magnus (21-4, 13-1 GNAC) | New England College (4-21, 1-13 GNAC)

BOX

HOW IT HAPPENED

• It happened fast. The Falcons scored the first 12 points of the game, including four points from Washington and capped by a high-flying alley-oop dunk from Crawford on a lob from Tazhon Daniels (New Haven, Conn.) at the 16:08 mark. 
• After two free throws from the Pilgrims, a layup from Williams followed by another dunk from Crawford and a three from Bonilla put Albertus up, 19-2 with 14:49 on the first half clock.
• The Falcons defense did not allow a made field goal until the 14:01 mark on a basket from Shawn O'Keefe. With Albertus up 19-6, the three-point marksman Bonilla hit back-to-back threes to put Albertus up, 25-6.
• Albertus kept its foot on the gas and took a 33-7 on baskets from Crawford, Jeyson Slade (Stamford, Conn.) and another three from Bonilla with 10:04 left.
• With the Falcons leading 37-12, Crawford grabbed a rebound off a miss by the Pilgrims, dribbled up court and flipped the ball to Slade who immediately found Washington on a cut to the hoop. Washington laid the ball in for his 1,000th and 1,001st career point. The Falcons called a timeout and Washington was honored on the court with a commemorative ball by head coach Mitch Oliver, recognizing his achievement to a standing ovation.
• The Falcons never let up the rest of the half, finishing on a 19-13 run over the final eight minutes, including six points from Malcolm Duncanson (West Haven, Conn.) and threes from Bonilla, Jayquan Kirkland (Stratford, Conn.) and the second three of the season from Williams. The Falcons led 58-25 at the half behind Bonilla's six three-pointers and 13 points from Crawford on 4-for-4 shooting.
• Albertus wasted little time extending its lead even larger, starting the second half on a 23-8 run over the first 11:11 of the second half behind three three-pointers from Daniels, four points from Kirkland and four points from Avery Hinnant (Naugatuck, Conn.).
• Albertus allowed just one field goal over the first 11:53 of the second half and never let the Pilgrims get remotely close the rest of the way. Hinnant scored six points in the second half. Tyrone Cummings (New Britain, Conn.) scored four points in the second half for Albertus.
• Albertus held the Pilgrims to 20 percent (7-for-35) shooting in the second half, including 2-for-14 from three (14.3 percent).

TEAM STATS

Albertus 52.5 FG% | 39.3 3PT% | 60.9 FT%

New England College 23.8 FG% | 13.0 3PT% | 60.0 3PT%

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES

Albertus

• Justice Washington 8 Points | 4-4 FG | 2 Blocks
• Antonio Bonilla 18 Points | 6-11 3PT
• Kevin Crawford 14 Points | 4 Rebounds | 5 Assists
• Tazhon Daniels 9 Points | 8 Assists | 2 Steals
• Saikwon Williams 5 Points | 5 Rebounds | 3 Assists | 4 Steals

New England College

• Junior Efosa 9 Points | 4 Rebounds
• Jayden McGrew 7 Points | 7 Rebounds

NOTEWORTHY

• It was the fifth wire-to-wire win this season for the Falcons and the second in its last three games.
• Bonilla now has four games with six or more three-pointers made this season.
• The 52.5 percent shooting from the field was the second highest percentage this season for Albertus.
• The meeting was the first between the two teams.
• NEC shot 23.8 (15-for-63) from the field, which was the lowest field goal percentage the Falcons allowed this season.
• The Falcons are now 40-8 over their last three seasons in GNAC play.

UP NEXT

The Falcons will begin its quest to defend its GNAC championship as they host a quarterfinals game on Tuesday, February 20 at 7:30 p.m. against the winner of the No. 7 Regis vs. No. 10 Dean game.