CARLISLE, Pa. – Five players scored in double figures, led by Shawn Holmes with 18 points, and CUA cruised to a 100-61 win over Penn State-Harrisburg on opening night at the Days Inn Tip-off Tournament.  The Cardinals led by 15 at halftime and then pulled away with 55 second half points.

CUA shot it well all night, hitting on 53% from the field and 44% from 3-point range.  The 100 points are the most CUA has scored since defeating Moravian 105-58 earlier this year on January 22. 

The Cardinals ripped off a 12-0 run early on, beginning with an Andy Roell 3-pointer and ending on another from Nate Koenig, to open up a 14-7 lead.

Another three from Koenig made it a 19-9 advantage for the Cardinals, but Penn State-Harrisburg hung tough, getting to within 21-18 with 11:34 on the first half clock.

The 3-pointers continued for CUA with Derek Puhalskiconnecting at the 8:30 mark to push the lead to 31-23, and after Darrell Carroll sank two at the foul line the Cardinals were in front by 10.

Puhalski's second trifecta put CUA on top 39-25, and the Cardinals wound up taking a 45-30 lead into the locker room.

The teams scored 20 points apiece in the first ten minutes of the second half, but from there CUA unleashed a 27-9 run to open up a 92-59 lead with only 2:40 to play. 

During the decisive run, Chris Kearney scored seven points, and Holmes and Jared Prince netted six apiece.

Kearney (13), Pete Schramm (12), Roell (10) and Prince (10) joined Holmes in double figures, with Schramm also pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds.  Billy Donovan dished out four assists to lead CUA, while Puhalski finished with nine points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Every CUA player that saw the court scored, with the Cardinals sinking 35 of 66 field goal attempts and 23 of 34 free throws. 

Penn State-Harrisburg received 16 points from Amani Glenn, but CUA held the Lions to 31% shooting and also outrebounded them by an incredible 63-28 margin.

CUA will play in the championship on Saturday against the winner of host Dickinson and Wilkes.