ROCHESTER, N.Y. (January 7, 2013) –  The Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team improved to 9-1 with a 75-70 win at Kean University Monday night in Union, N.J. Senior guard Sheldon Jones (Queens, N.Y.) led four Ducks in double figures with 18 points.

Kean came out strong and opened a 14-9 margin five minutes into the game, but the Ducks quickly came back to tie the score after a layup from junior guard Matt Skrelja (Clark, N.J.) and a three-pointer from senior guard Russ Thompson (West Orange, N.J.).

The Cougars (5-8) went back on top by four points (20-16) midway through the first, and the Ducks came right back to take their first lead since the opening moments thanks to another Skrelja layup and a Phil DeSeignora (Boston, Mass.) three-pointer.

With the score tied at 32 apiece with 3:35 left, back-to-back three's from Jones and Thompson gave Stevens a six-point lead and the visitors would go into the break on top 40-36.

The Ducks came out and scored the first seven points of the second half to open a 47-36 advantage with 17:40 remaining. Jones started the half with a pair of made jumpers, and sophomore forward Patrick Sabatino (Westfield, N.J.) followed with a three-point play after blocking a shot on the defensive end.

Down nine with 13:59 on the clock, Kean used a 10-0 run to take the lead after a pair at the line from junior guard Ryan Duffy (Phillipsburg, N.J.). Skrelja came back on the next possession to give the Ducks a 57-56 lead, then a stop, a free throw from Jones, another stop and a Thompson jumper pushed Stevens back up four with 6:20 to play.

The Ducks would go up 66-60 after a Kenny Gan (Hillsborough, N.J.) steal led to a fastbreak layup from Skrelja, and after junior forward Kyle Latorre (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.) hit one-of-two at the line, a Jones three-pointer put Stevens on top 69-61 with 3:41 to play. The Ducks were able to force Kean into a turnover on their next trip down the court, and this time it was Skrelja finding Thompson for a big three-pointer to push the lead back to double figures.

Kean was able to outscore the Ducks 9-3 over the final 3:08, getting within three at 73-70 but it was too little too late as Stevens won its seventh road game in eight tries.

Stevens shot well all night, going 29-for-52 (55.8 percent) from the field, but converted just eight of their 15 attempts from the line and were 9-for-24 from three (37.5 percent). Jones finished with 18 points on 7-for-13 shooting and added two steals. Skrelja had a strong game with 14 points, three rebounds and two assists, with Sabatino finishing with 13 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. Thompson had 13 points and three assists, while Gan ended with four points, three assists, a steal and team-best seven rebounds. Freshman guard Evan Klimchak (Readington, N.J.) had seven points and an assist to lead the Ducks off the bench.

Junior guard Michael Burton (Irvington, N.J.) and Latorre each scored 17 points to lead the Cougars with Latorre tallying a game-high nine rebounds. The hosts shot 45.1 percent (23-for-51) from the floor, 5-for-14 (35.7 percent) from three and 82.6 percent from the line (19-for-23).

Kean had 13 assists and 11 turnovers, while the Ducks had 12 assists and 16 turnovers. The Ducks finished with a 28-26 margin on the glass.

Stevens will return to action when it hosts Alfred University and St. John Fisher College for a pair of Empire 8 games Friday night (8 p.m.) and Saturday afternoon (4 p.m.)

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