HOBOKEN (Nj.)--- The Delaware Valley men's basketball team used a 9-0 run over a 2:37 span late in the second half to pull away from Stevens Tech and come away with a 71-63 win to earn their third straight Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) victory.
The Aggies (10-9, 5-5) raced out to a 6-0 lead in the first two minutes with a bucket and four free throws. The Ducks (8-11, 5-5) pulled to within two at 8-6 before the Aggies went on a 7-2 run to lead 15-8. Stevens responded with back-to-back three pointers to close the game to with in one with 11:45 left in the first half. Stevens would eventually even up the score at 18-18.
The teams played relatively even until the six minute mark where DelVal led 27-26. Over the last 5:25 of the half, the Aggies used an 11-3 run which was started by a Casey Caruso three pointer. Tyriq Toney-Bailey, Justin Savage, Tremaine Kynard and Godly Marc all scored during the run which gave the Aggies a 38-29 lead heading into halftime.
Stevens came out hot in the second half, scoring the first four baskets as part of a 10-1 run to even the score at 39-39 two and a half minutes into the second stanza. The Aggies would get the lead back after a pair of free throws and a bucket from Zoelin Pair. They would not squander the lead until midway through the half when the Ducks scored five straight points to take a 48-47 lead, their first lead of the game. Kynard would tie it up with a free throw before Stevens regained the lead with a three pointer.
Kynard would put together a mini run by himself hitting back-to-back layups, with the second being an and-one. Ewens Lizima would cap the 7-0 burst with a layup, pushing the Aggie lead to 55-51 with 7:03 remaining.
Each team struggled to shoot over the next three minutes, as the Aggies held a 57-55 advantage with 3:43 to play. Casey Caruso knocked down one of his three triples on the night to extend the lead to five. Justin Savage then scored the next four points with a pair of free throws an a layup to put the Aggies up 64-55 with 1:34 left. Goddy Marc capped of the 9-0 run with a layup with 1:06 left to extend the advantage to 11, as the Aggies would go on to win 71-63.
Tremaine Kynard led the Aggies along with Justin Savage with 12 points apiece. Kynard's 12 was a career-high 12 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting, scoring eight in the second half. Savage was 6-for-6 from the charity stripe and added six rebounds.
Casey Caruso added 11 points with three three-pointers while Ewens Lizima scored a career-high ten points with five rebounds.
The Aggies bench outscored Stevens 43-20 while DelVal won the turnover battle 18-12.
DelVal is off on Saturday before returning to action next Wednesday, February 1st at home against Arcadia at 6 p.m.
