DOYLESTOWN (PA) – The Delaware Valley University men overcame a ten point halftime deficit to defeat visiting FDU-Florham 76-72 in a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom tilt.

With the win, the playoff-bound Aggies (14-9, 9-3 MAC Freedom) maintain third place in the conference. They share an identical record with DeSales University, but the Bulldogs currently own the tie-breaker. Eastern University is in first place atop the league with a one game lead over DelVal and DeSales. The Aggies final two remaining games are at home against Eastern on Tuesday (2/14) and at DeSales on Saturday (2/18). If they win out, they capture top-seed in the conference and home court advantage throughout the playoffs in pursuit of the title defense.

In this game, the Devils (6-17, 3-9 MAC Freedom) got out to a 19-9 lead early in the first half behind seven points Donte Ali. DelVal responded with a layup and a dunk from Tyrea Williams to pull within six with 10:55 left before the break.  Two minutes later the Aggies pulled within five after a layup from Mike Cianciulli made it 22-17. However, FDU-Florham outscored DelVal 27-12 over the remainder of the first half to take a 39-29 lead into the locker room. Ali and Derek Leohner combined for 21 points in the first 20 minutes for the Devils.  

In the second half FDU-Florham's lead ballooned to 11 points after Leohner connected from beyond the arc to make it a 44-33 game just two minutes in. DelVal began to chip away with a 12-5 run over the next three and a half minutes, capped by a Mike Cianciulli 3-pointer that made it 49-47.

At the halfway mark of the final stanza the Aggies trailed by three when Kimbrough found an open Andre' Butler who connected from straight away to tie the game at 59-59. On the other end, Anthony Mitchell converted an and one play before Austin Stoeckel, off the bench for DelVal, made consecutive layups to put his team on top for the first time since the opening minute of the game.

The two teams would play to the fifth tie of the game at 68-68 with 4:36 left in regulation. The next six points of the game all came from the charity stripe. Kimbrough hit one-of-two and Cianciulli hit on four out of four attempts for the Aggies while James Moran sunk one-of-two for the Devils, giving DelVal a 72-69 lead with 1:54 to play. Moran hit from deep 40 seconds later to cut the Aggies lead to one. However, at the other end, Kimbrough drove the lane and dished to Stoeckel inside who laid it in to make it 75-72 with just over a minute left. DelVal forced two turnovers in the final minute and Alex Matsinye hit a late free-throw for the 76-72 final.

Kimbrough keyed the comeback for the Aggies with 12 points, seven assists, three steals and one block in the second half. He finished the game with 14 points and nine assists. DelVal placed five players in double-digit scoring, led by 17 from Williams. Cianciulli finished with 16 points while Stoeckel and Butler notched 12 and 10 points respectively.