PURCHASE, N.Y. – Despite a game- and season-high 22 points from freshman
JoJo Cobbs (Elmsford, N.Y./Briarcliff), the Manhattanville College men's basketball team was unable to climb out from a 10-point halftime deficit as the Valiants dropped a 78-67 game to DeSales University in MAC Freedom action on Wednesday night at Kennedy Gym.
Cobbs was the story offensively for Manhattanville (7-13, 3-6 MAC Freedom), pacing all scorers thanks to 9-of-15 shooting from the field. Junior
Alex Tuci (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) also had another solid game, collecting his ninth double-double of the season with 14 points and a game-high 14 boards, and classmate
Brian Haggerty (Bayside, N.Y./St. Francis Prep) reached double figures as well with 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Kuity Slanger led four players in double figures for DeSales (14-6, 6-3 MAC Freedom) with 18 points, followed by a trio of teammates – Brandon Bridy, Ryan Callahan and Brian Laird – with 11 points apiece.
After the two teams traded 5-0 runs to start the game, DeSales made the first move of the night with an extended 17-7 run over the span of 5:53 to grab its first double-digit lead of the night at 22-12 with 10:46 left in the opening half. Manhattanville was able to get its points after that run, but the home team could not string together multiple baskets as the deficit fluctuated between seven and 12 points for the rest of the half.
The Valiants shot well in the first 20 minutes, hitting 46.4 percent (13 of 28) of their shots, but the Bulldogs hit 18 of 28 attempts (64.3 percent) over the same span to take a 41-31 lead into intermission.
DeSales built its lead up to as many as 16 points on three occasions in the second half, the last coming on Slanger layup with 6:16 to go that make the score 66-50, but Manhattanville responded to that deficit with an 11-1 run, finished off by a Tuci three-point play that got the home team back within six with 4:08 on the clock. However, nine straight points by the Bulldogs over the next 2:42 was enough to put the game out of reach.
Manhattanville connected at a 50.0 percent (13 of 26) clip from the field in the second half to put a scare into DeSales, despite coming up a few points short. The Valiants finished the night shooting 48.3 percent (28 of 58) from the floor, while the Bulldogs ended the evening at 55.8 percent (29 of 52).
The Valiants will look to get back on the winning track on Saturday, when the team travels to Wilkes University for a 2 p.m. tipoff with the Colonels.
