PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College men's basketball team was unable to get a potential game-tying layup to go at the buzzer as the Valiants fell to DeSales University, 77-75, on Tuesday night at Kennedy Gymnasium in MAC Freedom play.

"I thought we battled hard against a really good team," stated head coach Pat Scanlon. "But we're disappointed with how things played out."

Despite the loss, Manhattanville (13-12, 6-7 MAC Freedom) is still alive in the race for a MAC Freedom Tournament berth. The Valiants can still make the postseason with a win on Saturday, when the Valiants host Misericordia University on Senior Day, and a Wilkes University loss to King's (Pa.) College on Saturday as well. DeSales (18-6, 10-3 MAC Freedom) remains in first place in the conference standings with the victory.

Trailing by two with 33 seconds left, Manhattanville sophomore Alex Tuci (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) drove the lane and banked a layup off of the glass to tie the game. The Bulldogs would respond as senior Cody Deal netted a fade away shot over an outstretched Tuci to give DeSales a two-point lead with just six seconds remaining. The Valiants had a chance to send the game into overtime but Anthony Maestre (Bronx, N.Y./Mount St. Michael Academy)'s layup attempt at the buzzer hit the front of the rim as the clock expired.

The game started off with both squads exchanging a 7-0 runs until the midway point of the first half. Tied 18-18 Manhattanville went on a 19-8 run to push its lead up to 11. The Valiants would go into the break leading by eight thanks in large part to 45 percent shooting from the field and 11 points from freshman guard Willie Britton (Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy).

The Bulldogs would open up the second half with an 11-2 run to take the lead and the battle ensued. Both teams went back and forth for the remainder of the game exchanging the lead on six different occasions until the final buzzer.

DeSales shot 51 percent from the field and an impressive 61 percent from behind the arc. The Bulldogs were led by Deal who scored all 23 of his points in the second half. Sophomore Aaron Burton recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds and junior Brian Laird added 11 points in the win.

Manhattanville shot 46 percent from the field and turned 17 Bulldog turnovers into 15 points. The Valiants were led by Maestre who accounted for a team-high 18 points and seven assists while also grabbing five boards. Britton ended up with 16 points while Tuci chipped in 13 and senior Andrew Winter (Queens, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) added nine points. Tuci led the Valiants with six rebounds and a career-high four blocks.

The Valiants will be back action on Saturday as they look to rebound against Misericordia and keep their playoff hopes alive. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m.

"We have to take care of business on Saturday and get a little help and sneak in," concluded Scanlon.