Box Score GARDEN CITY, N.Y. – The No. 2 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University men's basketball team used a late 14-4 run to hold off Adelphi for a 92-82 Northeast-10 Conference-opening victory on Wednesday evening. Juniors
Deshawn Murphy (Hamden, Conn.) and
Desmond Williams (Torrington, Conn.) each registered double-doubles as Murphy collected 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Williams had 12 points and 11 boards. Sophomore
Michael Mallory (Waterbury, Conn.) led all scorers with 24 points and senior
Tylon Smith (Manchester, Conn.) chipped in 20 points. Anthony Libroia and Justin Jenkins each tallied 18 points for Adelphi. With the victory, the Owls improve to 3-0 (1-0 NE-10), while the Panthers fall to 0-2 (0-1 NE-10) on the season.
A four-point play by senior
Luke Houston (Pearl River, N.Y.) gave the Owls their first lead at 6-5 just 45 seconds in. From there, the Owls built their lead up to nine by the midpoint of the first half as junior
Stefon Williams (Jamaica, N.Y.) netted two of his five first half points with a jumper to give SCSU a 30-21 lead.
After the Panthers cut it to 35-32, the Owls stepped on the gas and closed the final 5:51 of the half on a 17-6 run. With 3:32 remaining, Smith sank a jumper to start an 11-0 run. He scored six points on the run, while
Stefon Williams added three.
Murphy brought the halftime score to 52-38 after sinking a buzzer-beater for two of his 10 first half points. Mallory (13 points) and Smith (12 points) also netted double digits in the first half. Southern shot 49 percent from the field in the opening half, to the Panthers 37 percent, while the Owls held a 29-15 advantage in rebounds.
Coming out of the locker room, the Panthers opened the second half on a quick run, cutting the deficit to eight, but Houston sank his second three of the game with 17:25 to go to bring the lead up to 58-46.
The Panthers lowered their deficit back into single digits with 10:18 remaining when Libroia hit a layup, despite being fouled, and hit the ensuing free throw to make it 74-65. That was the beginning of a 12-0 run as Jenkins got a layup and Damian Colman hit a pair of free throws to make it a five point game at 74-69, forcing a SCSU timeout. Adelphi kept it rolling following the stoppage, as Libroia made two free throws and Ryan DeNicola hit a wide open three-pointer to tie the game at 74-74 with 7:16 to go in regulation.
A Smith layup with 6:04 on the clock gave the Owls the lead back and Williams hit two free throws to up the lead back to 78-74. Libroia would re-tie it for Adelphi at 78-78 with 4:41 remaining, before the Owls burst out on a 9-0 run, started by a pair of Mallory free throws and a Murphy three-pointer, helping to build a 87-78 lead.
Overall, the Owls ended the game on a 14-4 run, holding off the Panthers for a 92-82 final.
The Owls will return to action in their home opener on Tuesday, Nov. 25 when they will host Pace at Moore Field House. Action is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
