CARLISLE, Pa. - The Dickinson men's basketball team put three players in double-figures, including getting a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double from
Juan Ruiz and made some strong defensive stands late in the game to hold on for a 72-70 Centennial Conference win over the visiting Ursinus College Bears inside the Kline Center on Saturday afternoon.
First Half
- Things were "nip and tuck" early as baskets for Isaiah Edmond, Matt Mahoney, Dane Moran and Ruiz had the hosts trailing by just one 11-10 with just over four minutes gone.
- Mahoney then added four in a row and Ryan Leskauskas knocked home a shot from distance off the dish by Ian Polonowski to take a 17-11 lead two minutes later.
- A three-ball for Jamie Murphy slowed the charge for a second, but Moran would drop six of the next eight points to push the gap to seven (23-16) at the 9:18 mark.
- Mo Toure and Jasper Buck tried their best to get things level using a 7-2 spurt to get within 25-23.
- Triples for both Leskauskas and Polonowski along with a layup by Ruiz gave the Red and White a 33-27 advantage with under five minutes to play.
- With 3:41 left, Nocito stepped up to the foul line and knocked home two free throws to push him over 1,000 points for his career at Ursinus becoming the 33rd Bear to accomplish the feat.
- Cole Cosby, Edmond and Ruiz each chipped in a bucket the remainder of the frame to help DC maintain a five-point cushion at the break (39-34).
Second Half
- The Bears came out of the rest feeling good as a trey for Luke Nieman and layup by Nocito knotted the score at 39-39, 90 seconds in.
- Things continued to seesaw back and forth as buckets by Edmond, Pichay and Moran kept the game tied 44-44 with four minutes off the clock.
- A layup for Buck gave UC the lead, but triples by Leskauskas and Pichay quickly gave the hosts a 50-46 advantage a minute later.
- The duo of Trevor Toulson and Toure allowed the Bears to jump in front 51-50, before Edmond and Ruiz extended the margin back to six (57-51).
- Matthew Field picked up a layup to slow the DC roll, but triples from Andrew Cerullo and Ruiz coupled with buckets by Edmond and Pichay gave the Devils a double-digit cushion at 66-55 with eight minutes to go.
- The Bears battled back to 67-62 on baskets for Murphy, Nieman and Nocito as 13:33 had come off the clock.
- Cosby delivered a shot from deep and Ruiz split a pair at the charity line making it 71-62 five minutes later.
- However, Nocito, Toulson and Toure racked up eight consecutive points to cut the deficit down to just one (71-70).
- A foul shot for Edmond pushed it to 72-70 with 15 seconds left. Murphy would try to tie the game at the horn, but it bounced off the rim giving the Red and White the win.
Dickinson Top Performers
- Points - Ruiz (16), Moran (12), Edmond (10), Pichay (9)
- Rebounds - Ruiz (12), Edmond (7), Pichay (6)
- Assists - Ruiz (4), Edmond (3), Leskauskas and Pichay (2)
- Steals - Cerullo and Ruiz (2), Cosby, Moran and Pichay (1)
Opponent Top Performers
- Points - Toure (19), Nieman (11), Nocito (9)
- Rebounds - Nocito (9), Toure (6), Field (5)
- Assists - Nocito (7), Murphy (3)
- Steals - Field (3), Kelly (2)
Up Next
- Dickinson (5-14, 2-5 Centennial) is back in action on Wednesday night at 7pm when they head to Allentown for a conference showdown with Muhlenberg College inside Memorial Hall.
