In a highly-anticipated matchup of top-10 undefeated teams at the 2023 D3hoops.com Classic in Las Vegas, Nevada, the eighth-ranked Case Western Reserve University men's basketball team controlled the pace of the game through much of the contest to defeat fourth-ranked Oswego State University 87-74 on Thursday night.

The Spartans improved to 10-0 on the season with the win, the team's 30th-straight regular-season victory against a non-conference opponent, and was the highest-ranked opponent the Spartans have defeated since beating third-ranked Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Championship. The Lakers fell to 7-1 with the loss.

It was a statement victory for the Spartans exerted their will for much of the game, leading for over 34 minutes of the contest and shooting a blistering 54.0% (34-36) from the floor, including 33.3% (11-33) from three-point range.

Graduate student guard Anthony Mazzeo led all players with 26 points on nine-of-18 shooting overall, including four-of-11 from three-point range, while setting a new career high with seven assists and adding six rebounds. Graduate student guard Richie Manigault scored 11 of his 14 points in the first half, finishing the game shooting six-of-11 overall and two-of-five from three-point range. Junior forward Umar Rashid added 13 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks, while junior guard Sam Trunley, senior forward Ian Elam, and graduate student guard Preston Maccoux came off the bench to score 11, nine, and seven points, respectively, with Maccoux adding eight rebounds.

Manigault and Mazzeo combined to score the first 12 points of the game for the Spartans to help CWRU take a 12-9 lead with 15:40 left in the opening half. The Spartans led 17-14 with 13:02 left in the first before back-to-back baskets by the Lakers gave them the lead back, but CWRU responded with layups on two-straight possessions by Maccoux and Manigault to regain a three-point advantage, 21-18, with 9:31 to play. The game remained close, but with the score tied at 25-25, with 7:15 left, CWRU went on an 11-4 run, capped off by a three by Trunley with 3:20 left to go ahead 36-29. Another three by Trunley with 1:24 left and an old-fashioned three-point play by Mazzeo with 35 seconds left spurred an 8-0 run and put CWRU ahead by a half-best 12 points, 45-33, and CWRU ended the period with a 45-35 lead.

CWRU outshot Oswego State 58.1% overall (18-31) to 36.8% (14-38) in the first half and the Spartans' bench outscored the Lakers' 15-0 over the first 20 minutes. The Spartans also held a 13-2 edge in fast break points in the first half.

Oswego State cut the Spartans' lead to seven points within the first three minutes of the second half, but a 12-4 run by CWRU over the next four minutes put the Spartans in front 60-45 with 13:36 to play in the game after a three by Mazzeo and the outcome of the game was never in doubt the rest of the way. CWRU led by as many as 20 points in the second half after a three by Maccoux put CWRU in front 79-59 with four minutes left, as the Spartans went on to secure the 13-point win.

Oswego State's Jeremiah Sparks led the Lakers with 23 points, while Ahkee Anderson added 20 in the game.

The Spartans will conclude play at the D3hoops.com Classic tomorrow night against Clark University, which suffered a last-minute loss to 22nd-ranked Trinity (Texas) earlier on Thursday to fall to 8-2 on the season. Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m. ET.