MADISON, N.J. (Nov. 18th, 2015) -- The Drew University men's basketball team triumphed in its season opener to earn a spot in the Rose City Classic Championship with a 76-56 win over Hunter College on Friday evening in Baldwin Gymnasium.

Top Performers: Junior forward Blaine Taylor finished with an impressive 14 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double. Junior guard Yonathan Napoleon finished with a game-high 20 points along with four rebounds and three assists. SophomoreDan Roibal provided intense defensive pressure and finished with nine points, five assists and three steals. Sophomore forward Nate Aldrich was a force to be reckoned with at the center position pulling down 11 rebounds.

Turning Point: The Rangers came out of the locker room with intense energy from the start, throwing down emphatic dunks and alley-oops in the warm-up line. That energy transferred to the court with the Rangers jumping out to an early 35-20 lead. Taylor and Napoleon led the first half offensive attack combining for 23 of Drew's 43 first-half points. Taylor made five of his first seven shots while Napoleon made two clutch three-point field goals to provide the early cushion.

Other Highlights: Freshman guard Riley Collins was the fourth Ranger in double figures with 10 points in his Drew debut. The rookie shot 4-of-6 from the floor with two 3-pointers and a steal.

Stat Sheet: The Rangers shot 41 percent from the field with a 13-of-15 mark from the free throw line. Hunter College shot 37 percent from the field and hit just 5-of-21 from beyond the arc. The Rangers had a heavy bench performance, with 24 bench points in total. Drew collected 38 points in the paint to Hunters' 20. The Rangers largest lead was 26 points near the end of the second half. 

Up Next: The Rangers take on New York University in the Rose City Classic Championship on Satuday, Nov. 19 at 6:00 p.m. The Violets defeated Marywood University 78-71 in their first round game on Friday.