NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University defeated Buffalo State University Saturday afternoon at the Freeman Center, 90-54. The victory marked the 300th in the 23-year history of the Freeman Center, and improved the top-ranked Captains to 4-2 on the season.

Senior Trey Barber led the CNU attack with 17 points and seven rebounds in just 20 minutes of playing time. Senior Jahn Hines (12) and freshman Ethan Ward (10) also reached double figures. The Captains had 16 of 17 players get into the scoring column in the 36-point victory in the first round of the CNU/Holiday Inn Invitational.

"It's always a good thing to be able to use a lot of people, and see what they can do," Head Coach John Krikorian said. "We're going to have a physical battle tomorrow with Rowan, and it was also good to get some people off the floor and not play as many minutes."

The Captains held an early 12-11 lead before breaking the game open thanks to a 28-9 run to build a 40-20 halftime lead. CNU then surged to a an advantage of as many as 42 points late in the second stanza.

Christopher Newport matched a school record, and set a new Freeman Center record, with 71 rebounds in the game. Buffalo State, now 0-5, made just 18 of 67 shots (27 percent) and the Bengals also missed 11 free throws (15 of 26). CNU out-rebounded Buffalo State for the day, 71-35, with Barber and freshman Toa Hollenbeck topping the team with seven boards each.

Christopher Newport is now 300-57 for an 84 percent winning percentage all-time at the Freeman Center, which opened for the 2000-2001 season. The Captains are now 3-0 at home this year after going 13-1 at home last season and 17-0 in 2021-2022. Over the last 65 homes games since the start of the 2018-2019 campaign, Christopher Newport has registered a record of 62-3 for a winning clip of 95 percent.

Saturday's game marked just the second all-time with Buffalo State. The Captains beat the Bengals in double overtime at Ratcliffe Gymnasium back in January of 1988 in the only other meeting. 

The Captains and Rowan University will play on Sunday, for the first time ever, at approximately 4:00 p.m. in the second round of the Invitational. Buffalo State will play Mary Washington in the opening game at 12 noon. Rowan, now 4-1, needed overtime to beat Mary Washington on Saturday, 76-75. UMW fell to 3-2 with the loss.