HOBOKEN, N.J. (March 3, 2011) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team reached 20 wins for the third time in program history and advanced to the semifinals of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Metro Championship with a 91-76 victory over Baruch College on Wednesday night at the Canavan Arena in Hoboken, N.J. Six players scored in double figures for the Ducks who used a 16-2 run over a span of just 4:23 midway through the second half to seal the win.

The two teams came out shooting well and the Ducks took the upper hand early at 14-9 just 4:05 into the action with senior center Bryan Franklin (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), sophomore guard Sheldon Jones (Queens, N.Y.), and junior forward Simon Smith (Cranford, N.J.) all scoring four points for the Ducks.

Senior forward Arki Wisnu (New York, N.Y.) canned a jumper and a three to help the Bearcats tie the score at 18-all with 13:28 left in the opening period, but the Ducks were able to run off six-straight points to open their largest lead of the game (six points) 1:40 later.

A triple from junior guard Chris Beauchamp (Glendale, N.Y.) tied the game at 29 with 5:57 left in the half and the two teams battled back-and-forth over the final five minutes of the half with Stevens taking a 40-39 lead into the locker room. The Ducks' lead would have been four points but a three at the buzzer from Wisnu brought the Bearcats within one.

There were eight ties and two lead changes in the game's first 20 minutes. The Ducks shot 58.6 percent (17-for-29) from the field and hit 4-for-5 from the free-throw line. Smith and Franklin each scored 10 points in the half.

Baruch shot 43.8 percent (14-for-32) from the floor and hit all seven of its foul shots. Wisnu and senior forward Sean Loftus (Middle Village, N.Y.) were both in double figures.

The Bearcats (15-12) took a brief two-point lead at 48-46 with 16:20 left but a layup from Smith and a three from junior guard Mike Cutri (West Caldwell, N.J.) quickly gave the edge back to the Ducks and they never looked back. A Thompson three pushed the lead to four at 54-50 with 13:35 left to play, and once Baruch trimmed the margin to two (58-56) with 10:15 left, the Ducks erupted on their game-changing run.

Cutri started things off with a layup, Thompson nailed a transition jumper, and following a stop, freshman forward Kevin McManamy (Raleigh, N.C.) found Thompson for a three on the left wing to put the Ducks up eight. A Cutri layup pushed the advantage to double-digits for the first time all night and the Ducks would extend that margin to 17 with 5:23 remaining.

The Bearcats got within 13 points with 4:38 on the clock but would not threaten the rest of the way as the Ducks would cruise to the win.

Stevens ended the game shooting 57.6 percent (38-for-66) from the field and with six players scoring 10 or more points. Stevens had 24 assists against 15 turnovers and ended the game with a 46-34 edge on the glass. They had eight blocks as a team, led by freshman forward Patrick Sabatino (Westfield, N.J.) who had three.

Cutri finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, and five assists in a solid all-around performance, while Jones had 16 points, six rebounds, and three helpers. Smith finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists, while Thompson poured in 14 points, handed out five assists, and snared four rebounds. Franklin was solid with 14 points, six boards, and three assists, and Sabatino finished with 10 points.

Baruch was led by 25 points from Loftus who shot 11-for-16 from the field. He also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, while Beauchamp had 18 points. Baruch had just five assists and nine turnovers.

Second-seeded Stevens will host the semifinals of the ECAC Metro Tournament on Saturday at 7 p.m. against either third-seeded Mount Saint Mary College.