PURCHASE, N.Y. – Following two straight Skyline Conference defeats and in need of a statement victory, the Manhattanville College men's basketball team accomplished just that this afternoon, Saturday, Jan. 18, as the Valiants defeated Sarah Lawrence College 74-64 at home. Junior Mike Granda (Monroe Township, N.J./St. Joseph) poured in a season- and game-high 28 points, including a 6-of-10 performance from beyond the arc.
 
The Crimson and White (8-6, 3-2 Skyline) had most recently fell to Purchase College and Maritime College, both teams who had lost to Saturday's foe in the Gryphons (7-8, 3-3 Skyline), winners of three straight entering the game.
 
Early on in the contest, it was Sarah Lawrence that jumped out to a 7-0 lead with just under two minutes gone, forcing a Valiants timeout. Manhattanville was eventually able to claw back into the game and managed to jump out to a five-point lead with 7:02 remaining in the first following a fastbreak lay-in from rookie Khari Taylor (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond). The two squads battled back and forth for the rest of the half before Manhattanville took a two-point 31-29 lead into the break.
 
The second half of play remained close for the first eight minutes before the Valiants began a momentum-shifting 14-1 run. Sophomore Jake Dunn (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) kicked it off with a jumper at 11:58, followed almost two minutes later by a pair of made free throws from senior JoJo Cobbs (Elmsford, N.Y./Briarcliff). The Gryphons split a pair of foul shots next, but Granda fired right back with a three to make it a nine-point game at 9:27. Seconds later, freshman Tommy Lotito (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) forced a turnover, leading to a layup in transition from Granda.
 
On the following Sarah Lawrence possession, Cobbs was able to block a shot underneath, which led to another three from Dunn. Junior Wesley Kra (Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy Memorial) ended the run for the Valiants with 7:30 remaining in the game, sinking a layup to make it 57-41. Manhattanville maintained a healthy advantage for the remainder of the contest before eventually closing out the 10-point victory.
 
Highlights:

• Granda added a season- and game-best seven assists to his 28-point performance.
• Dunn chipped in four helpers and a pair of steals in addition to his 19 points.
• Cobbs finished with 12 points, a team-high nine boards, two assists and a game-best and career-high-tying three blocks.

The Valiants return to the court on Wednesday night, Jan. 22, for an 8:00 p.m. road meeting with the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, N.Y. The Crimson and White hold a 29-6 all-time edge over the Dolphins, but the two programs have not met since the Valiants last season in the Skyline back in 2006-07.