STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (February 1, 2011) – Junior forward Simon Smith (Cranford, N.J.) led six players in double figures as the Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team improved to 13-5 overall with an 87-72 win over the College of Staten Island on Tuesday night at the CSI Sports and Recreation Center. Stevens held the Dolphins scoreless over the game's first 4:33, jumping out to an 8-0 lead and never looking back in the convincing victory.
After CSI (14-5) scored its first two points of the game, layups from sophomore guard Sheldon Jones (Queens, N.Y.) and Smith gave the Ducks their first double-digit lead of the night just 5:15 into the action.
The Dolphins quickly fought back, slicing the lead to four 1:33 later thanks to an 8-2 run with a pair three-pointers from junior guard T.J. Tibbs (Staten Island, N.Y.) and freshman guard Bloochy Magliore (Staten Island, N.Y.).
The two teams went back and forth with CSI getting within three on two separate occasions in the first half. However, after the Dolphins made the count 23-20 with 9:31 to go in the opening period, the Ducks ran off 10-straight points and 16 of 18 to take a 39-22 lead with 3:17 left in the period. Five different players scored points in the spurt, and the Ducks eventually took a 44-30 lead into the locker room after shooting 58.1 percent (18-for-31) from the field. Junior guard Mike Cutri (West Caldwell, N.J.) tallied 12 points in the first half to lead the Ducks, and sophomore guard Russ Thompson (West Orange, N.J.) handed out seven assists.
CSI quickly trimmed the 14-point Duck advantage to six following a made jumper by junior guard Dale Taranto (Staten Island, N.Y.) with 16:51 to play, but as was the case in the first 20 minutes, Stevens buckled down and again created space between itself and the Dolphins. Back-to-back layups from freshman forward Patrick Sabatino (Westfield, N.J.) pushed the lead back to 11, and after making one of two attempts at the line, a Smith layup following a Sabatino block on the other end, extended the margin back to 14.
The Dolphins did not quit, again making it a six-point game (64-58) with 7:34 to go after a put-back by junior forward Jordan Young (Asbury Park, N.J.), but senior center Bryan Franklin (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Smith teamed to push the lead back to 14 with 4:42 left to clinch the win. The two big men combined to score all 10 points in the deciding 10-2 run.
Smith finished with a monster line of 19 points, 16 rebounds, and four assists, while Cutri ended with 15 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Sabatino had 15 points, five rebounds, and two blocks, and Franklin had 14 points. Jones tallied 12 points, three boards, and two helpers, and Thompson ended the game with 10 points, nine assists, just one turnover, and three rebounds.
The Ducks were scorching hot from the field all night, ending the game shooting 59.3 percent (32-for-54) from the field and 80 percent (20-for-25) from the free-throw line. They ended the game with a 43-31 advantage on the glass and the 87 points scored is a new season-high.
The Dolphins shot 36.3 percent from the field (29-for-80) and were led by 17 points and seven rebounds from Taranto. Young added 16 points and nine rebounds and Magliore poured in 13.
Stevens will return to the hardwood with a pair of important conference road games this weekend. The Ducks will visit Alfred University at 8 p.m. on Friday and St. John Fisher College at 4 p.m. on Saturday.