CARLISLE, Pa. - The Dickinson men's basketball team will enter the final week of the regular season with the Centennial Conference playoffs within reach after edging out the visiting McDaniel College Green Terror by a final of 56-53 on Saturday afternoon inside the Kline Center. Prior to tipoff the Red and White honored seniors
Aaron Bailey,
David Petrusev,
Matt Smith and
Brandon Wiercinski.
- Dickinson began the game with all four seniors on the floor and jumped out to an 11-2 lead eight minutes in on buckets from Petrusev and Smith along with Isaiah Edmond who filled out the starting five.
- Following a triple by Jonas Sujeta, the Red and White continued to stretch their lead as a three-ball from Ryan Leskauskas coupled with contributions for Matt Mahoney, Petrusev and Wiercinski helped DC to go on a 9-5 push to take a 20-7 advantage with 13:02 gone.
- A trey out of the hands of Kevin Connelly and two foul shots put away by Sujeta cut the margin to 22-12, but three free throws from Petrusev kept the gap at double-digits (25-12) inside the final two minutes.
- However, the visitors would tally the final five points to take some much needed momentum into the locker room at 25-17.
- McDaniel pushed the run to 11-0 by claiming the opening six points of the frame making it 25-23 with two minutes gone.
- Cole Cosby then got hot picking up six points during a 9-3 charge for the Devils opening the lead out to 34-26 at the 6:52 mark.
- After Matt Kearney and Juan Ruiz traded buckets, the guests scored seven of the ensuing nine points to bring the deficit to three at 38-35 just under eight minutes to play.
- Five more by Cosby along with a layup for Edmond allowed the Red and White to maintain a slim 45-41 edge, but a triple for Sujeta and layups from Chuck Contee as well as David Kearney finally brought McDaniel in front 48-47 with 17:30 gone.
- Dickinson immediately reclaimed the lead as Petrusev drove down the left-side and threw home a thunderous dunk. That sparked an 8-3 gallop by the Devils to make it 55-51.
- Lorin Hall would go coast-to-coast for a layup to get within two (55-53), but Cosby split a pair at the charity stripe to do just enough to secure the win.
- Points - Cosby and Petrusev (14), Edmond and Leskauskas (7)
- Rebounds - Petrusev (8), Smith (4), Joey Dopirak and Wiercinski (3)
- Assists - Petrusev (3), Dopirak and Wiercinski (2)
- Blocks - Leskauskas and J. Ruiz (1)
- Points - Sujeta (23)
- Rebounds - Contee and Sujeta (4)
- Assists - Contee, Stuart and Sujeta (2)
- Blocks - M. Kearney and Sujeta (1)
- Dickinson (9-14, 4-7 Centennial) has a CC Tournament berth in their hands on Wednesday night when they welcome the Diplomats of Franklin and Marshall College to the Kline Center for an 8pm tipoff. A win for the Red and White in either game next week will clinch a spot, but they can also get in with a combination of losses from Haverford and McDaniel.
