The Carolina M Mustangs's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Friday after their third straight loss. They took a hard 67-50 fall against Cristo Rey Research Triangle.
When it comes to explaining why Carolina M lost, one person who can't be blamed is Cameron Marshall. Despite the final result, he scored 17 points along with eight rebounds. Marshall scored a full 34% of Carolina M's points, the sixth time in a row he's earned more than a third of the team's points. The team also got some help courtesy of Cayden McClain, who scored nine points.
Leading Cristo Rey Research Triangle to victory were Jamaal Miller and Christian Gill. Miller dropped a double-double on 27 points and ten rebounds, while Gill scored 30 points along with five steals. The match was Gill's fourth in a row with at least ten points. Zion Dix was another key contributor, scoring six points along with eight rebounds.
Carolina M bumped their record down to 2-6 with that defeat, which was their third straight at home. Those losses can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.7 points per game. As for Cristo Rey Research Triangle, the win makes it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 3-1.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Carolina M will face off against New Life Camp at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday. New Life Camp presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Carolina M in North Carolina (New Life Camp is ranked 143rd, while Carolina M is ranked 610th). Cristo Rey Research Triangle will have some time to savor their win since their next game is a little ways off: they'll take on St. Thomas More Academy at 6:00 p.m. on January 3, 2024. St. Thomas More Academy is coming into the match hot, having won their last four games.
