WASHINGTON – After trailing by as many as 18 points to Moravian, CUA (15-5, 5-4) fought its way back to within five on several occassions, but the Cardinals were unable to get any closer, and ultimately fell to the Greyhounds 95-86 on Saturday. Steve Limberiou had a monster game for CUA with 21 points and a career-high 15 boards.
Moravian's Izel Dickerson scored on a layup with 16:16 remaining in the game to put the Greyhounds in front 62-44, but CUA never went away, scoring six straight to get within 12 with 14:29 on the clock.
Chris Kearney got inside for a layup to get CUA within 10 at the 12:16 mark and after Nate Koenig scored on the Cardinals next possession, they were within eight.
D.J. Strayhorn's 3-pointer at the 9:19 mark pushed Moravian's lead up to 13, but CUA continued to hang around, cutting the lead to nine on Shawn Holmes' jumper less than a minute later.
A Limberiou layup and Darrell Carroll basket then brought CUA within five with exactly six minutes to play, but Jeff Cullinan sank two free throws down the other end to extend to a seven-point advantage.
Another Kearney basket, this one coming with 5:15 to play, again brought CUA to within five, but Moravian reeled off five straight to open up a ten-point lead.
In the final minute, CUA was able to get within five on two separate occasions, but the Cardinals could not get any closer.
Joining Limberiou in double figures for CUA were Carroll (20) and Koenig (19), with four different Cardinals handing out four assists apiece. CUA struggled with its long-range shooting, connecting on only 1 of 22 shots from beyond the arc, but the Cardinals did a terrific job at the free throw line, sinking 27 of 28 (96%).
Strayhorn exploded for 30 points for the visitors, which came on 9 of 17 shooting, while Kenny Gula (18), Cullinan (13), Cameron Cullen (12) and Garrett Johnson (12) also finished in double figures. The Greyhounds sank nine 3-pointers on the night and shot 51% from the floor overall.
A Cullinan 3-pointer with 14:33 to play in the opening half opened up a 12-4 lead for Moravian, and after Gula drained a trifecta two minutes later, CUA found itself down by 10.
Two Cullinan free throws at the 10:55 mark made it a 15-point lead for the Greyhounds, but CUA was able to get within nine with 6:49 on the clock following a Kearney basket.
Another Kearney bucket, this one at the 1:23 mark, again brought CUA within nine, but Gula scored the final five points of the half to send Moravian into the locker room with a 51-37 lead.
CUA remains at home for its next two games, beginning on Friday, February 3 when the Cardinals play host to Drew. Tip-off from inside the DuFour Center is set for 7:30 p.m.