PURCHASE, N.Y. - Senior Anthony Maestre (Bronx, N.Y./Mount St. Michael Academy) led all scorers with 27 points, including a program-record-tying 17-of-18 effort from the charity stripe, as the Manhattanville College men's basketball team advanced to the championship game of the 2015 AJ Buchanan Classic with an 86-75 victory over Southern Virginia University on Friday night at a raucous Kennedy Gymnasium.

Manhattanville (3-1) advances to the AJ championship game for the third time in four years, where the team will face off with fellow MAC school Widener University, who defeated York (N.Y.) College by a 67-59 score in today's first game.

Maestre had a solid game to lead the Valiants, going over 20 points for the third straight contest. The senior added a career-high-tying eight rebounds and five assists in the victory, while his 17 made free throws tied the program record first set in 1974-75 and matched by Mark Ward '84 in 1984.

Classmate Juan Camacho (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic/New Horizons) also chipped in with his third double-double of the year with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting and 12 rebounds, followed by sophomore Alex Tuci (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) with 11 points and four boards. Senior Andrew Winter (Queens, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) also had a solid all-around game off the bench with six points, three boards, three assists and two steals in 25 minutes.

Anders Jacobson led four Knights in double figures with 21 points, followed by David Baety with 14 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals.

Southern Virginia held a lead for much of the opening 20 minutes and maintained its advantage into the early portion of the second half. A pair of Kevin Walker free throws put SVU up 58-55 with 12:42 left in the second before Manhattanville finally made its move, an 18-0 run that vaulted the Valiants into control of the contest.

The home team started the run by scoring on seven straight possessions, beginning with a layup from sophomore Chris Ayson (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) followed by a Winter bucket that put Manhattanville ahead at 59-58. Camacho added three straight buckets before a layup from freshman Javin Barton (Queens, N.Y./St. Mary's), and Maestre closed the run with two free throws and a layup to put the Valiants up 73-58 with 7:06 remaining. The Valiants limited SVU to 0-for-6 shooting with six turnovers during the run.

Manhattanville was never threatened after that, getting its lead up to as many as 17 on a Ayson jumper with 4:44 on the clock.

The Valiants shot a blistering 70.8 percent (17 of 24) in the second half to secure the win, finishing the night at an excellent 55.2 percent (32 of 58) from the field, in addition to another superb night at the line (20 of 23). Southern Virginia finished the evening at 40.5 percent (30 of 74) from the floor.

Manhattanville and Widener will meet in the AJ Buchanan Classic championship game at 4 p.m., following the consolation game between York (N.Y.) and Southern Virginia at 2 p.m.