GWYNEDD VALLEY, PA. -- Cedric Elleby had 21 points and 15 rebounds to help Gwynedd Mercy win its fourth game in a row, as the Griffins downed Centenary, 84-72, Saturday afternoon at The Griffin Complex.

Rip Engel drained four of the team's nine three-pointers, finishing with 16 points while adding eight assists and four steals. Courtney Cubbage totaled up 15 points, seven boards, and four assists.

GMercyU (14-3, 8-2 CSAC) found their groove late in the first, breaking open a tight contest and shooting over 55% in the stanza to lead by nine (47-38) at the half. The surge continued into the second, as a 13-2 run to open the period would put GM up by 20.

Rashaan Spencer netted 24 points and eight rebounds for the Cyclones (9-7, 5-4 CSAC), both team highs, going a perfect 11-for-11 at the free-throw line.

In that close first half, a few missed opportunities from the Griffins allowed the Cyclones to get within three of the Griffins with 15 minutes to go in the first half.  Centenary took advantage of early Gwynedd foul trouble, as they would to the free-throw line 21 times. Later, a steal from Spencer and the ensuing bucket would cap an 8-0 Centenary run, allowing them to tie the game at 15-15.  Two defensive stops followed by a jumper from Will Davis got the Griffins their lead back at the 13:20 mark. The lead grew to eight (35-27) as Cubbage threw down a slam dunk on a breakaway off a long pass from Elleby with 7:24 in the half. Elleby would score on the next three GM possessions for a 41-28 lead, their largest of the half.

Elleby started off the second half with a layup followed by two steals and a pair of three-pointers from Engel. After a Cyclone basket, Matt Sommers hit from downtown which gave them a lead of 20 (60-40).  Centenary picked up their defensive efforts and pulled off two stops while putting five points on the board to cut into the lead.  Kevin Ashenfelter sunk a three right before the shot clock expired, but the Cyclones immediately added two of their own.  Spencer's layup with 4:59 in the game topped off a 23-6 Centenary run to get them within 71-68.

Cubbage and Sommers each hit on back-to-back possessions to make it a three-score game. Cubbage would later light up a solid three to make it 78-70.  After two free throws from Spencer to make it 78-72 with 2:24 left, Gwynedd held the Cyclones scoreless the rest of the way to help ice the win.

Sommers ended the day with seven points, Davis with six, and Ashenfelter with 5.  Rich Dunham netted nine and added four assists. As a team, Gwynedd was 34-of-69 (49%) from the floor and outrebounded (49-34) their opponent for the ninth-straight game.

After shooting 27% in the first half, Centenary rebounded in the second to finish hat a 24-of-69 (34%) clip. Paul Jones and Tom Weiler each had 13 points. Zachary Duymich recorded 10 points and nine assists.

The Griffins return to action this Wednesday at Marywood at 8 p.m.