ASTON, Pa. – The Cabrini college men's basketball team remained perfect in colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) play with tonight's 73-60 win at Neumann University. With just two games remaining before the CSAC tournament, the Cavaliers are now 22-1 overall and 16-0 in conference play.
Senior Cory Lemons (Wilmington, Del./ Glasgow) led four Cavaliers in double-figure points with 17. Fellow senior John Boyd (Trappe, Pa./ Perkiomen Valley) added 16, while juniors A.J. Williams (Wilmington, Del./ St. Elizabeth) and Jeremy Knowles (Antioch, Cal./ Pittsburg) added 11 and 10, respectively.
Neumann took an early lead but the Cavaliers responded, taking its first lead at the 13:48 mark when sophomore Fran Rafferty (King of Prussia, pa./ Upper Merion) hit the first of his three consecutive three-pointers. By the end of his personal spurt, the Blue and White turned a two point deficit into a 20-12 lead with 12:45 to play before the half.
The Knights continued to come back, cutting Cabrini's lead back to three points, before a Cavaliers' 7-0 run. A late Neumann bucket sent the teams to the locker room with Cabrini holding a slim 35-34 lead.
The first five minutes of the second half remained tight, featuring three ties. With the score tied at 40 with 14:38 to play, the game seemed to change.
Lemons hit two free throws sending Cabrini on a run over the next 3:23 to take complete control of the game. Over that span, Cabrini outscored Neumann 14-3, including five consecutive baskets in the paint.
Neumann got as close as six points midway through the half, but the Cavaliers never lost control of the game. Cabrini held the Knights to just 33.3% shooting from the field after the break and turned 11 second half Neumann turnovers into 10 points.
Lemons added seven assists and three steals to his 17 points. Knowles recorded his third double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Williams grabbed a career-high eight rebounds, including six on the offensive side of the floor.
Dom Gibson led the Knights (11-12, 8-8 CSAC) with 13 points.
The Cavaliers will host their final regular season home game on Saturday, when Philadelphia Biblical University visits Nerney Field house. Tip is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. followed by the club's annual Alumni Game at 6:00 p.m.
The Blue and White will also celebrate the careers of its three seniors, John Boyd, Cory Lemons, and Greg Zabel (Scotch Plains, N.J./ Scotch Plains-Fanwood) prior to tip-off.