DOYLESTOWN (PA) – The Delaware Valley University men's basketball team opened the 2017-18 season with a 72-60, non-conference loss to visiting Immaculata University on Wednesday evening.
The Aggies, who went 16-9 a season ago, never led in the game as the Mighty Macs scored the first five points and 11 of the first 15 for a seven-point advantage. It was still a seven-point game at 16-9 when five straight points by DelVal freshman
Lybrant Robinson, the last two coming on a breakaway dunk, pulled the Aggies to within two.
Immaculata responded with five straight to bump its lead back to seven. DelVal got within one with seven minutes left in the first half, but the Mighty Macs eventually took a 35-32 advantage into the break.
In the second half, the Aggies cut their deficit to two as a
Ryan Naccarato trey made it 45-43. The teams traded two points apiece before Immaculata went on a 10-2 run, including four points from Joe McHugh, to up their lead to 57-47 with 13:16 remaining.
DelVal never got closer than seven and that was after a pair of free throws from
Andre' Butler made it 60-53. The Mighty Macs answered with a jumper by Mike Piekarski and a 3-pointer by Jordan Ambrose and they cruised the rest of the way.
Both teams shot less than 43 percent of the field, but Immaculata was 17-for-23 from the foul line compared to 12-for-21 by the Aggies. The Mighty Macs also turned 23 DelVal turnovers into 25 points. Ambrose led the way with 23 points while Piekarski and Brandon McCullough netted 18 and 13 points respectively.
For DelVal, freshman
Damian Washington shined in first collegiate game as the 6-foot-5 forward led the team with 16 points. Junior transfer
Willie Britton came off the bench to contribute 13 points and six assists while Robinson had 11 points and four steals off the bench. Returning all-conference honoree
Alex Matsinye and Butler combined for 13 points and seven boards in the loss.
DelVal will take on Eastern Mennonite University in the opening round of the Messiah College Tip-Off Tournament on Friday, November 17.