Another busy February weekend produced some key results in the three regional conference races, but we kick off the big recap with a feel-good story 48 years in the making:
PHILADELPHIA 80 POST 60
All five starters scored in double figures, lifting Philadelphia past Post at the Gallagher Center for Herb Magee’s 1,000th career coaching victory as he joined fellow sideline legends Mike Krzyzewski of Duke and Pat Summitt of Tennessee as the only members of that exclusive club. Four days after losing at home to Wilmington, the Rams once again got off to a sluggish start, falling behind 22-11 before outscoring their guests 23-5 over the last 9:16 of the half to grab a 34-27 advantage. It was 42-34 with 14-and-a-half minutes to play when Philly U banged four consecutive 3-pointers, bookended by Andre Gibbs, at the outset of a 17-0 run that made it 59-34 with 11:01 left, ending the drama as the sellout crowd that was filled with family, friends and local dignitaries began counting down to a massive celebration. Derek Johnson led the charge with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists for Magee’s alma mater, followed by Nick Schlitzer (18 points, 5-6 from 3-point land, six assists), Peter Alexis (17 points, 7-11 FG, three blocked shots), Gibbs (15 points, 3-5 from 3, six boards, four assists) and T.J. Huggins (10 points, seven rebounds, career-high eight assists). Three Eagles garnered 11 points: Matt Mareno (eight rebounds), Brandt Voiles (six) and Nardie Bogues as they fell for a fourth straight game and into fourth place in the CACC North. The Rams – who outshot Post overall (56%-38%) and from downtown Philly (12-22 to 6-17) – led by as much as 80-51 before the Eagles tallied the last nine points of the afternoon, as Philadelphia used a superior assist-turnover ratio (23/5 to 10/11) to help fuel the blowout. Post won the glass (34-28) and made twice as many free throws (12-14 to 6-11) but it wasn’t enough to overcome the massive shooting differential. Magee – who took over the reins of the formerly-named Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science in 1967 and won a national championship in 1970 – has coached 1,398 games with a spectacular .715 lifetime winning percentage. It all began with a win over Trenton State (now College of New Jersey) and hopefully will never end.
NYIT 114 BRIDGEPORT 103 (OT)
There was another coaching milestone on Saturday as New York Institute of Technology’s Sal Lagano earned his 300th career win in memorable fashion… an overtime thriller over Bridgeport in Connecticut that knocked the hosts out of first place. National scoring leader Darian Hooker topped himself yet again, cranking out 29 of his career-high 43 points (12-22 FG, 4-7 from deep, 15-18 FT) in the second half while adding five rebounds, seven assists and four steals as the Bears won for the third time in four years at Hubbell Gym. The first half belonged to the Purple Knights, who jumped out to a 20-6 lead en route to a 48-41 halftime edge. The second stanza was bursting with drama, as there were 15 ties and 22 lead changes, including an amazing seven flip-flops over the final 2:25. A 10-0 spurt gave the hosts an 86-78 upper hand after a 3-ball from Ernest Rouse (14 points) with 4:13 remaining. NYIT responded with an 11-2 spurt, nudging in front 89-88 on a trey from Iza Sherman-Newsome (12 points off the bench on pristine 4-of-4 shooting beyond the arc) at the 1:47 mark. The lead changed hands five more times in the waning moments until Hooker buried the tying jumper with 3.7 seconds to go. Jesse Jones – who totaled eight points off the bench – could have won it for Bridgeport, but his three from deep in the left corner missed the mark, necessitating the extra session. After an initial basket by the P-Knights, it was all Bears in OT as they embarked on a 16-2 jaunt, grabbing the lead for good on a dunk from Jerrel Green (16 points, 8-9 FG, seven rebounds, three blocks off the bench). Oddly, Hooker accounted for zero of his team’s 18 overtime points as he apparently wasn’t needed after hours. Khalif Chaplin turned in a 17-point (2-2 from 3, 9-10 FT), six-rebound performance for the winners, who shot a blistering 60% from the field (UB was a solid 48%) and 12-of-19 from distance (UB was 10-26) in maintaining a share of the sixth and final ECC playoff spot. Devon Elliott logged 32 points (12-22 FG) for second-place Bridgeport, which also received 26 points and 13 boards from Willie Williams III. The Purple Knights were slightly better on the backboards (38-35), leading to a 23-12 advantage in second-chance scoring. They also claimed 15 of the game’s 17 fast-break points, to no avail. Both teams authored identical 18/12 assist-turnover lines. The 114 points are the most in a game for NYIT since Lagano's first season - a 118-110 win over Southampton on January 27, 1998.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 75 MOLLOY 67
For the first time ever, St. Thomas Aquinas is all alone atop the ECC ladder. Chaz Watler dropped 26 points (13-14 FT) and snatched eight rebounds to lead the Spartans, who held off a late Molloy rally in Sparkill and extended their winning streak to an NCAA era-record eight games. After nine lead changes during the initial 11 minutes of play, STAC wrested control with a 26-8 run that flipped a 14-12 deficit into a 38-22 lead at the break. The gap swelled to 48-30 inside of the 14-minute mark, and was still a healthy 64-51 with the clock ticking inside of five minutes before the Lions roared with eight straight points, pulling within 64-59 on a traditional 3-point play from Matt McLeod (20 points, eight rebounds) with 2:40 to play. It got tighter at 70-66 with 34 ticks left before the Spartans put it away by nailing five of six foul shots over the last 28 seconds. Marcus Henderson (3-6 from afar) and Shaq McFarlan (6-9 FG) each posted a baker’s dozen for St. Thomas, which fared a little better at the stripe (24-29 to 20-30) and on the boards (43-32), helping offset a 40-22 disparity in the paint. Jaylen Morris chipped in with 13 points, seven rebounds and six steals for Molloy, which also landed Maurice Gatson (10 points in a reserve role) in double figures while his team remained tied for fourth place. The game was marred by 49 fouls and 32 combined turnovers as opposed to just 12 assists.
MERRIMACK 85 SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE 73
Things got a little tighter in the uber-competitive Northeast Division of the NE-10. In Manchester, all five starters reached double digits as Merrimack continued its recent dominance of first-place Southern New Hampshire, prevailing for a seventh consecutive time, sweeping the season series and winning at the SNHU Fieldhouse for a fourth straight season to snap the Penmen’s seven-game win streak. A competitive first half was distinguished by 10 lead changes and nothing more than a five-point separation as both teams headed to the locker room with 34 points. The game turned when play resumed as the Warriors rattled off the first nine points, the last seven of which came from the fingertips of league scoring leader Gelvis Solano (24 points, 8-13 FG, 3-5 from long range). The advantage peaked at 77-66 with 3:33 remaining and the hosts never came closer than eight down the stretch. Troy Hammel rang up 20 points (6-9 FG, 4-5 from 3) for the victors, who also received solid outings from James Kennedy (13 points, 11 rebounds), JT Strickland (12 points, six assists) and Kyle Howes (11 points, 3-6 from afar). Devin Gilligan paced five Penmen in twin figures with a career-high 20 points (3-5 from 3) and nine rebounds in a reserve role. He was flanked by Aleksandar Dobrovic (14 points, 5-6 FG, eight rebounds), Elijah Bonsignore (11 points, four assists), Rodney Sanders (11 points, seven caroms, four assists) and B.J. Cardarelli (10 points, six rebounds). Merrimack – which is two-and-a-half games behind in the playoff hunt – shot better from behind the 3-point line (12-22 to 7-23) and the free-throw line (21-24 to 10-13). Southern New Hampshire won the rebound war (39-32) and provided 13 of the game’s 15 second-chance points. Both sides handled the rock adroitly (MC 14/6 assist-turnover ratio, SNHU 12/9).
ST. MICHAEL’S 75 STONEHILL 71
Michael Holton, Jr. notched 23 points and banked in the go-ahead jumper from the left wing with 1:23 to go as St. Michael’s cooled off red-hot Stonehill at the Ross Sports Center, snapping its six-game win streak and grabbing a share of second place in the process. It was a come-from-behind effort for the Purple Knights, who fell into a 23-7 hole and still trailed 54-46 with under 13 minutes left before the game became a see-saw affair down the stretch with four ties and 13 lead changes. After Holton’s hoop snapped a 71-71 deadlock, Ryan Logan’s attempt at a tying shot inside bounced off the rim and Holton capped the scoring at the line with 8.3 seconds on the clock. James Cambronne pitched in with 17 points (3-5 from downtown Burlington) and seven rebounds for St. Mike’s, which was slightly outshot (46%-44%) and outrebounded (35-33) but made more foul shots (8-11 to 2-4) and second-chance points (19-9) to help turn the tide. The Skyhawks – who slip to fourth place with the setback – were fronted by Logan (18 points on 6-of-8 long-distance shooting, eight boards), Pierce Cumpstone (17 points off the bench, 3-6 from 3), Carter Smith (13 points, seven assists) and Jack Cole (11 points). Stonehill did more damage from deep (15-31 to 9-24) and handed out more assists (17-12) but turned it over more frequently (10-4).
ST. ANSELM 80 BENTLEY 59
St. Michael’s is now tied with St. Anselm for second in the division, a game off the pace, after the latter’s blowout of Bentley at Stoutenburgh Gym. The UVM duo of Chris Santo (23 points, 11-16 FG, 12 rebounds) and Harrison Taggart (career-best 22 points, 6-9 from deep, six caroms) spearheaded the Hawks’ effort as they snapped the fifth-place Falcons’ four-game winning streak. A 27-7 surge over the final 6:35 of the half – fueled by Taggart’s 14 points – transformed a 25-18 deficit into a 45-32 lead, and Bentley was never able to come any closer after intermission (they trailed by as many as 24), despite notable performances by Tyler McFarland (19 points) and Keegan Hyland (17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists) as the rest of the club struggled with 23 points on 9-of-39 shooting. Roy Mabrey added 17 points and eight rebounds for St. A’s, which shot much better from the floor (56%-33%) and the line (8-9 to 6-14) to help offset deficiencies in the paint (38-18 BU) and in ball distribution (12/16 assist-turnover ratio compared to BU’s 16/8).
FRANKLIN PIERCE 67 ASSUMPTION 64
Franklin Pierce is now within a half-game of Bentley for the last playoff spot in the Northeast after shading Assumption in Worcester. Ryen Vilmont recorded 24 points (10-10 FT) and 11 rebounds to lead the Ravens’ attack, while Dustin Cole (11 points) and Lolami Lola-Charles (career-high 10 points in his first start) offered staunch support. An 11-0 flurry at the outset of the second half, capped by a Vilmont lay-up, wiped out a 26-25 deficit and put the visitors on top for good at 36-26. The lead extended to 54-41 with six-and-a-half minutes to play when the Greyhounds got off the mat and closed within 59-55 on a free throw from Karl Ziegler (12 points) with 2:21 remaining. Vilmont swished eight straight freebies for Pierce from that point forward, but the Hounds’ Jack Sullivan (15 points on 5-11 shooting from deep and 10 rebounds) did get off a potential tying shot at the buzzer, though it was off the mark, consigning the home team to an eighth league loss either by two possessions or in overtime. Terrance Bobb-Jones was high man for Assumption with 20 points and four blocks. All the stats were as close as the point totals, though the Ravens’ overall shooting edge (46%-40%) was the most telling.
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT 82 Le MOYNE 62
The top two teams in the Southwest – and arguably the best in the league – earned easy intra-divisional victories. In Syracuse, Tyler Houston delivered 23 points (4-8 from long range), including a 4-point play 14 seconds after the opening tip as Southern Connecticut led from wire to wire and coasted past Le Moyne for its fourth straight victory. The Owls bolted out to leads of 13-0 and 31-11 en route to a 50-34 halftime cushion, and the lead ranged between 14 and 26 the entirety of the second period thanks to strong performances by Deshawn Murphy (18 points), Michael Mallory (12 off the pine) and Desmond Williams (10 points, eight rebounds, four assists). Qwadere Lovell generated 18 points for the Dolphins, who also placed Tanner Hyland (personal-best 12 points off the bench) and Stan Buczek (10 points, eight boards) in double digits. Southern shot better from the floor (46%-35%) and handed out more than twice as many assists (18-8).
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL 84 PACE 54
Second-place American International kept pace by hammering Pace at Butova Gym on the day the team raised Mario Elie’s jersey to the rafters. Bobby Harris led the attack with 21 points (5-9 from beyond the arc), six assists and five steals for the Yellow Jackets, who led from pillar to post, getting a 20-5 jump at the start on the way to a 41-22 halftime bulge that never shrunk in the final 20 minutes as the margin peaked at 34 points on three occasions. Marcus Porter (7-10 FG, six assists, four swipes) and Cameron Dobbs (four dishes) each netted 17 points for AIC, which also received 11 from Al-Shabazz Jabateh. Kyle Pearson registered 19 points and nine rebounds for the Setters, who also saw Bryan Rivers toss in 14 points in his team’s eighth straight loss. The Yellow Jackets were the superior shooters (50%-37%) and boasted the vastly superior assist-turnover line (20/7 to 3/18), resulting in a 25-6 advantage in mistake points.
SAINT ROSE 47 NEW HAVEN 36
Points were at a premium in West Haven as Saint Rose jumped on New Haven, scoring the first 15 points of the ballgame and limiting its hosts to one basket over the last 10:46 in moving within one win of clinching a playoff berth. The Chargers – who qualified for the playoffs despite the setback – drew within 40-34 after a foul shot from Jonny Ocasio (10 points, eight rebounds) with 5:38 to go, but a big hoop from Sam Eckstrom (eight points off the bench) more than a minute later instigated a 7-2 spurt over the last 4:29 to put the Golden Knights in the clear as they held an opponent to as low as 36 points for the first time since joining the NCAA ranks in 1991 (the previous record was a 99-32 win over Bard during the 1987-88 NAIA campaign). Jamaal Greenwood hit for 13 points, while Chris Dorgler (nine rebounds, four assists) and Jack Jones sported 10 apiece for Saint Rose, which was the lesser of two evils in the shooting department (34%-29%), fared better at the foul line (12-17 to 2-6) and distributed the ball more efficiently (12/6 assist-turnover ratio compared to UNH’s 9/13). The two clubs combined to shoot a frosty 24% (11-for-45) from long range. Eric Anderson struggled from the floor with just six points but did hand out five assists and bolstered his national rebounding leadership with 13 caroms for New Haven, whose 36 points are its lowest since a 50-35 defeat at the hands of Adelphi back in their old NYCAC days – on February 1, 2005.
DOMINICAN 75 WILMINGTON 62
Two of the hottest clubs in the CACC met in Delaware on Saturday, and Dominican came out the winner for a sixth straight time, throwing water on Wilmington’s four-game win streak that culminated in its big win at Philadelphia on Tuesday, temporarily delaying Herb Magee’s 1,000th win. Nick Smith had the hot hand once again with 26 points (11-18 FG) and nine rebounds for the Chargers, who scored the last eight points of the half to open up a 46-35 lead. It was shrunk to 46-42 two minutes into the final frame before John Decker (16 points off the bench) drilled a 3-pointer (he had four in six tries) to spark a game-deciding 17-5 spree, making it 63-47 at the 11:34 mark. The margin remained in double figures from that point forward despite 23 points from Valentino Thompson and 13 points and eight assists from Tyaire Ponzo-Meek. Dominican – which solidified its hold atop the North Division – also received 10 points from Kristopher Hargraves and outshot its hosts both from the floor (52%-42%) and at the stripe (17-28 to 3-5) thanks to a 23-12 advantage in the foul department. The Wildcats remain a solid fourth in the South.
BLOOMFIELD 79 GOLDEY-BEACOM 45
Matt Hall led a balanced effort with 16 points, including a perfect 4-of-4 from 3-point range as Bloomfield annihilated Goldey-Beacom in North Jersey, ascending into second place as a result. The Bears trailed just once (2-0) and used a 34-11 blitz to transform a modest 12-9 lead into a 46-20 chasm by halftime. The Lightning – whose sole bright spot was Sameen Swint’s 15-point bench outing – never made a run in the second half, falling behind by as much as 64-28 and 77-38 before the final horn mercifully sounded. Nick Davidson chalked up 15 points (6-8 FG) for Bloomfield, which also saw Marvin Williams (13 points, including his 1,500th, four steals) and Olatilewa Oyawusi (personal-best 11 points in 13 bench minutes) make positive impacts. The Bears were much more accurate shooters (48%-27%), including behind the 3-point line (7-15 to 6-24), while also dominating in the paint (42-18), on the glass (51-34) and off turnovers (23-8). Goldey – which is still two games out of the final playoff spot in the South – saw its reserves outscore the starting five, 28-17.
USCIENCES 80 CONCORDIA 56
The hottest team in the conference continues to be University of the Sciences, which used a strong second half to propel itself past Concordia at Morgan Arena for its eighth straight conquest. Garret Kerr was the floor general yet again, compiling 24 points (8-12 FG), 12 rebounds and five assists, while shattering another school record in the process: this one being the career foul shot mark as his 532 makes surpassed Bob Walchek’s 47-year-old standard. A 12-0 upswing upon the restart padded a 31-29 lead to 43-29, and the margin continued to grow exponentially, ultimately cresting at 71-45 after a lay-up by Flo Da-Silva (10 points, five assists) with 8:04 to go. The third-place Clippers – who trailed the entire way – never came closer than 21 points over the last 9:34 despite decent outings from Andrew Peacock (13 points, 3-5 from downtown Philadelphia), Michael Fields (11 off the bench) and Jamie Holder (10). Sho Da-Silva collected 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots in a reserve role for the Devils, who maintain the best record in the region at 18-4 and match their high-water mark for wins since an 18-12 campaign in 1999-2000. USciences shot at a higher clip (52%-35%), while flexing its muscle at the line (15-19 to 6-10), in the paint (42-22) and on the break (10-0). The assist-turnover lines (21/14 to 11/18) also helped furnish a 19-6 advantage in mistake points.
HOLY FAMILY 85 CALDWELL 76
Holy Family remains a game behind its crosstown foe after repelling Caldwell at the Newman Center. Five Tigers reached double figures, led by 19 apiece from Isaiah Gans (8-12 FG, 3-5 from deep, six rebounds) and Marvin Crawford (seven boards, three blocks). A 12-3 flourish at the end of the opening period lengthened a 29-27 lead to 41-30, and a Gans lay-up 18 seconds after play resumed established the widest margin of the contest (43-30) before Bran Kenny (11 points on 5-of-6 shooting) canned a trifecta at the 18:37 juncture as the margin bounced between five and 10 points the remainder of the afternoon. The Cougars’ last chance came after a jumper from Billy McDonald brought them within 79-74 with 1:13 on the clock, but Turhan Griffin (10 points, four assists off the bench) answered with two foul shots and Gans slammed one home to thwart the final threat. Reggie Charles (17 points, 3-6 from 3, seven assists) and Eric Fleming (12 points on 4-of-7 shooting from distance) also played well for Holy Family, which shot more threes (29) than twos (22) but hit at a 53% clip overall, as opposed to 43% from CU. Dawan Lighty topped the Caldwell scorecard with 18 points (10-10 FT) and four assists, while McDonald (18 points, six rebounds) and Salvatore Vitello (12 points in a reserve role) also made their presences felt in a losing effort. The Cougars won the glass, 31-27, and remain a half-game behind Post for the final playoff slot in the North.
NYACK 81 CHESTNUT HILL 73
Nyack’s looking to make a late playoff push, closing within two games of the last playoff spot in the wide-open North Division after ousting Chestnut Hill at Bowman Gym. A 26-7 tear over the last 11:30 of the first half transformed a 16-10 deficit into a 36-23 lead that grew to 67-52 inside of the final six minutes before the Griffins made a late run, outscoring their hosts 11-2 to pull within 69-63 after a free throw from Christian Walck with 1:42 to play. Chris Hampton (21 points) nailed a clutch jumper to halt the momentum and the Warriors meshed 10 of 12 foul shots over the remaining 1:07 to nail it down. Khalid Samuels drove home 22 points (4-7 from deep) and doled out four assists for the winners, who also received a dozen points each from big men Nick Moore (5-5 FG) and Will Robinson (nine rebounds off the bench). Walck powered Chestnut Hill with 26 points (7-9 FG) off the bench, all of which came after halftime as the reserves outscored the starters 41-32. Billy Cassidy also cashed in 11 in a backup role for the Griffins, who were their own worst enemy with 20 turnovers (15 in the first half) in falling for a seventh straight time. Nyack shot 51% from the floor and boasted a 17-5 assist advantage. The game was a whistle-fest with 59 fouls and 74 free throws attempted (45 by CHC).
GEORGIAN COURT 85 FELICIAN 73
Another Saturday... another milestone for Georgian Court. Exactly one week after besting Nyack for its first-ever CACC victory, the Lions downed Felician in Rutherford for the fledgling program’s first official road win (a season-opening victory over Clarion at the Shippensburg Tournament was a neutral contest). After spotting its hosts the first two points, Georgian Court reeled off 18 unanswered points to gain the upper hand. The Golden Falcons made minor inroads in the second half but could never come within two possessions down the stretch despite a terrific game from J.R. Pringley (31 points, 14-19 FG, 12 rebounds). Michael Pierre produced 19 points (8-12 FG) off the bench for the victors, whose lead hovered between seven and 13 points over the final 16:58. Keith Hughes (eight rebounds, five assists) and Jordan Wejnert (nine boards) each pumped in 18 points for the Lions, who also landed Juwuan Carter in double figures with 14. Tim Massado came alive with 17 points and career-high eight assists off the bench for Felician, which also received 11 points from fellow reserve Marko Kozul. Georgian Court was better at the stripe (20-25 to 11-19) and on the break (14-2) while capitalizing on a 17-10 turnover edge by outscoring the Golden Falcons 22-8 off of miscues.
LIU POST 82 DOWLING 68
Greg Dotson came up big with 20 points (10-16 FG) and four blocked shots for LIU Post, which handled Long Island rival Dowling at the Pratt Center to remain tied for the sixth and final ECC playoff berth. Akosa Maduegbunaum chimed in with 16 points off the bench for the Pioneers, highlighted by three rim-rattling dunks, while P.J. Torres (16 points, 11 rebounds, six assists) and Isiah Stokley (10 points) also played exceptionally well in reserve capacities. LIU Post was comfortably ahead most of the game, with the lead maxing out at 78-56 following back-to-back Torres lay-ups at the 5:11 mark. The Golden Lions – who were fronted by Evan Maxwell’s 18-point, 15-rebound outing – closed the contest with a 12-4 run though the gap remained in double figures over the final 16:02 as they remained tied for fourth place. Donte Adams (17 points, four steals), Ryan Hickey (11 points, four assists) and Armand Correa (10 points off the pine) reached double digits for Dowling, which was bettered on the boards (51-41), in the paint (58-40) and in the assist department (23-9). Both teams were brutal from distance (LIUP 4-25, DC 3-18) and Post was exceptionally terrible from the foul line (4-12).
DAEMEN 102 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 74
It was a rough weekend for District of Columbia, which took it on the chin twice in Upstate New York to slip two-and-a-half games out of the playoff picture. On Friday in Buffalo, Gerald Beverly amassed 27 points (11-14 FG), four steals and five blocked shots, including his 300th career rejection, as Daemen drubbed the Firebirds, using a 13-0 burst in widening a 23-19 lead to 36-19 en route to a 52-34 halftime divide. The lead peaked at 102-72 in the closing moments as the third-place Wildcats received solid games from Torrance Dyck (17 points, six rebounds), Jordan Greene (14 points, five assists) and Aaron Davis (10 points). Michael Terry procured 23 points (5-10 from deep) and seven rebounds for UDC, which also saw Kory Cooley (21 points) and Reggie Sidbury (14) reach double digits in defeat. Daemen was the superior shooting (58%-43%) and rebounding (42-30) club while dominating in the paint (62-30). The Wildcats outscored their guests 20-9 on second chances and posted an outstanding assist-turnover ratio of 23/9.
ROBERTS WESLEYAN 78 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 60
Two days later down the road in Rochester, Roberts Wesleyan stormed out to a 22-3 lead and never let its foot off the pedal in another rout of UDC - its fourth straight setback. Isaac Medeiros racked up 25 points and seven rebounds for the Redhawks, and he received strong support from Tyrel Dixon (15 points, 7-9 FG, six rebounds, five assists) and Marcus Gooding, Jr. (12 points) as the hosts forged a 44-25 halftime lead, then opened the second period with a 13-4 spell, capped by a Gooding triple, to put it out of reach at 57-29. The margin ranged between 18 and 26 the balance of the ballgame as Erin Senegal proved the lone bright spot for the Firebirds with 13 points (5-7 FG) in 16 bench minutes. He was followed in double digits by Quasim Jones (11 points) and Michael Terry (10 points, six rebounds) but 33% overall shooting and a 52-20 pummeling in the paint were too much to overcome on this day. Roberts – which is a game off the playoff pace – shot 44% from the field, won the glass (47-35) and outscored UDC both on second chances (20-5) and off turnovers (16-2).
QUEENS 87 MERCY 67
Kyhiem Chaplin submitted 24 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 from long range, 9-10 FT) and Diego Maldonado finished with 21 (8-12 FG, 5-8 from 3) in leading Queens past Mercy in Dobbs Ferry. A tie game at 44-44 midway through the second stanza, Chaplin and Jerry Mordi (19 points, eight assists) connected on consecutive 3-pointers to trigger a 25-9 run and put the game on ice at 69-53 with 5:41 to go, the lead oscillating between 10 and 20 points the rest of the way. Shaq Thomas supplied 11 points to the Knights’ cause off the bench as his team shot 57% overall and 12-of-27 from deep. Gerald McClease carried the load for the Mavs with 16 points (6-9 FG) and six boards in a reserve role, while Jason Quijada (11 points) and Najeee Senior (10) also contributed in a losing cause. Mercy won the battle of the boards (27-24) and shot a sound 49% for the game but only 3-of-13 from the outer limits, sealing its fate.