ROSEMONT, Pa. – In a back-and-forth game that featured eight ties and 18 lead changes, it was Rosemont College emerging with an 83-76 win over the Centenary University men's basketball team in Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) play.
Centenary had four players score in double figures in the contest and freshman
Divine Anderson, who had 17 points, led that group.
With the game tied at 8-8, Rosemont went on a 5-2 run and took a 13-10 lead with 12:33 to go in the period.
The two teams traded baskets over the next several minutes as a lay-up from junior
Pablo Vasquez tied the game at 17-17 with 10:14 to go before the half.
The Cyclones and Ravens continued to battle and found themselves tied at 23-23 following a lay-up from
Keith Blassingale at 7:22.
Five straight points gave the Cyclones a 28-23 edge with 5:36 to showing on the clock. Anderson accounted for all five of those tallies.
Rosemont closed the half on a 10-4 run and took a 33-32 lead at the half.
Perry Belcher and
Jacob Simonson each had four points during that stretch.
A pair of early three-pointers in the second half from Rosemont gave the home team a 41-36 lead with 17:23 to go in the game.
The two teams traded baskets on each end of the court as a jumper from Anderson and a three-pointer from senior
Tom Weiler gave the Cyclones a 48-47 edge with 14:12 showing on the clock.
Four straight points from Blassingale put Rosemont ahead 53-49 with 12:29 to go in the game.
A jumper from Weiler and a free throw from Vasquez pulled the Cyclones to within one, 53-52 with 11:38 remaining in the period.
Back-to-back three-pointers pushed the Rosemont lead to seven, 59-52 at the 11:06 mark.
Centenary scored 11 of the next 16 points in the game and cut the Rosemont lead to one, 64-63 with 7:19 to go in the game. Sophomore
Chris LaBelle drained a three-pointer during that stretch.
LaBelle's triple sparked a 7-0 run by the Cyclones that gave the visitors a 67-64 lead with 6:02 remaining in the period.
Rosemont responded by scoring the next nine points in the game and took a 73-67 advantage with 3:38 to play.
Centenary cut the Ravens' lead to one, 75-74 on a lay-up from freshman
Billy Veras at the 1:46 mark.
Rosemont closed the game on an 8-2 run and claimed the 83-76 win.
Rosemont shot 50 percent from the field in the game and went 17-for-20 from the foul line. Centenary finished the contest shooting 40.3 percent from the floor and was 13-for-19 from the charity stripe. The Cyclones held a 38-37 edge in the rebounding battle.
Anderson powered the Cyclones with 17 points and four assists in the contest. Weiler and LaBelle each connected for 15 points while Veras recorded his second straight double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds.
Blassingale led Rosemont with 30 points.
The Cyclones are back in action on Saturday, Feb. 16 when they wrap up the regular season by hosting Clarks Summit at 3 p.m. Centenary will honor its three seniors, Weiler,
Stewart Lester and
Greg Robinson before the contest.
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