DOYLESTOWN (PA) – Mike Coleman scored a career-high 22 points to lead DeSales University to a 64-58, Freedom Conference victory at host Delaware Valley College.
It was a rematch of last year's conference title game, which the Aggies claimed for the first time in program history. This year's edition, with four new starters in the lineup, fell to 2-11 overall and 0-4 in league action. DeSales won its fourth straight to improve to 8-6 overall and 2-2 in the Freedom.
Coleman was 5-for-12 from the field (1-for-2 from 3-point land) and 11-for-13 from the line. In fact, he made more free throws then Delaware Valley had attempts (9). As a team, DeSales went 22-for-27 from the charity stripe. Both teams shot under 40 percent from the field with the Aggies struggling even more from 3-point land where they went just 7-for-26.
The Bulldogs led by as many as eight in the first half before taking a 32-30 lead into the break. Delaware Valley scored eight of the first 12 points in the second stanza, including four from Jay Donovan, to go up four with 16:45 remaining.
The game was tied five times over the next eight minutes with the last coming at the 8:40 mark as Delaware Valley's Jonathan Jernigan hit a long jumper. DeSales' Andrew Kohler then hit back-to-back treys to give the Bulldogs a lead they would never relinquish.
The Aggies never trailed by more than six points down the stretch and pulled to within three on two separate occasions. DeSales had an answer each time, all from the foul line, including one by Kyle Hash to make it a 60-54 contest with 43 seconds to go. Delaware Valley came down the court and Nathan Bollinger hit a long 3-pointer while being fouled just 10 ticks later. He hit the free throw to make it a two-point game.
DeSales' Brett Moyer was fouled with 19 seconds left and hit one of two free throws to leave it as a one-possession game. Delaware Valley could not get a look at a 3-pointer and Jeremy Beckett was fouled while driving towards the hoop with eight seconds to go. However, he missed the front end of a 1-in-1 and Paul Pammer grabbed the board for DeSales and was fouled. He hit one of two free throws and Moyer added a pair a few seconds later for the 64-58 final.
Kohler and Moyer finished with 11 points apiece and combined for 16 rebounds for the Bulldogs. Hash added seven points in the win.
Bollinger paced Delaware Valley with 19 points. Beckett nearly had a triple-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocked shots. Jernigan finished with eight points while Donovan and Daulton Derr added seven points apiece.