Case Western Reserve University graduate student guard Mitch Prendergast scored a team-leading 23 points in just 24 minutes in his first start of the season to lead the 10th-ranked Spartans to a 96-78 win over Hilbert College on New Year's Day at Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland.

The Spartans improved on their program-best start to the campaign, raising their record to 10-0 heading into their University Athletic Association opener next weekend. CWRU has now won 20 straight non-conference regular-season games dating back to last year.

Hilbert dropped to 3-7 following the loss.

The Spartans finished the game shooting 44.2% overall and 36.1% from three-point range while holding Hilbert to 36.6% shooting overall, including a 29.4% mark from behind the three-point line. The 96 points were a season-high for the Spartans and marked the team's highest scoring output since a 98-74 win over NYU on January 14, 2022. It marked the third time this year CWRU has scored 90 or more points in a game.

Prendergast, a D3hoops.com Preseason All-America selection who missed the first eight games of the season due to injury, shot nine-of-15 overall and five-of-nine from three-point range with assists, two rebounds, and a steal. Sophomore forward Umar Rashid added 12 points and three blocks off the bench, while senior forward Cole Frilling finished with 10 points and six rebounds to move with 16 points of 1,000 for his career.

Predergast scored 19 of his 23 points during the opening half of the game to help the Spartans take a 16-point lead, 59-43, by halftime. He was held scoreless over the first 10 minutes of the game but scored 16 straight points for CWRU over a two-minute and 40-second stretch that helped the team turn a 21-19 deficit into a 35-27 lead by the 7:32 mark. The Spartan's 16-point edge heading into halftime matched the team's largest of the opening stanza.

CWRU opened the second half on a 12-0 run over the first 3:30, taking a 28-point lead on a layup by Frilling that put the team ahead 71-43 with 16:37 remaining in the game. The Spartans led by as many as 35 in the game, going ahead 81-46 on a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Sam Trunley with 14:28 to play. The team's lead never fell below 18 points in the second half, en route to the victory.

CWRU forced 17 Hilbert turnovers on Sunday and finished the game with a 23-12 edge in points off turnovers. The Spartans also held a 25-16 edge in second-chance points.

The Spartans will now turn their attention toward conference play with a game originally scheduled for Wednesday at Buffalo State University canceled due to last week's winter storm that hit the Buffalo area. CWRU will open UAA play at home on Saturday, January 7 against Carnegie Mellon University with tip-off scheduled for 3:00 p.m.