HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (Jan. 7, 2016)- For the second game in a row, all five starters scored in double figures. Led by sophomore Rashaan Spencer (Hackettstown, N.J. / Mount Olive) with 18 points, the Centenary College men's basketball team fended off a late rally in the 95-87 defeat of Summit University.

Senior Anthony Bailey (Florida, N.Y. / SS Seward) finished with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists for the Cyclones who improve to 8-4 overall and 4-1 in the Colonial States Athletic Conference. Abe Valentine and Nate Wiersma combined for 47 of the 87 points scored for the Defenders who fall to 1-11 overall and 1-4 in the CSAC.

The Cyclones played with an up tempo pace in the first half, which allowed them to take their largest lead of the game at 44-28 with 5:26 remaining.  The bench played a pivotal role in allowing Centenary to get such a large advantage. Freshman Tom Weiler (Old Bridge, N.J. / Bishop George Ahr), sophomore Hamp Smith (Allentown, Pa. / William Allen) and junior Kyle Smith (Warwick, N.Y. / Burke Catholic) combined for 21 of the 53 points second in the first half. K. Smith connected on two triples from downtown, while H. Smith recorded two steals and scored six straight points in the process.

The Defenders were never out of the game as they shot a blistering 48.4% from the floor and 50.0 from behind the arc. Summit chipped away at the Centenary lead by going to Wiersma on the low block. Wiersma, who finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds, would score six straight points to cut the Centenary lead down to 63-59 with 14:08 remaining.

The Cyclones responded with a 9-0 run to regain a 72-59 advantage with 11:47 remaining. The Defenders made one last push as they knocked down five triples in the next five minutes to cut Centenary's lead to 86-81 with 4:05 remaining. That would be the closest Summit would get as the Cyclones salted away the game from the free throw line, going 7-for-8 in the final four minutes.

Junior Zachary Duymich (Millstone Township, N.J. / Allentown) finished with 14 points, while sophomore Myles McLeod (Teaneck, N.J. / Teaneck) collected another double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Head Coach Tim Fusina and the Cyclones will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 9^th in Radnor, Pa. against the Cavaliers of Cabrini College at 1:00 p.m.