NEWBURGH, N.Y. – The Manhattanville College men's basketball team used one of their best shooting performances of the season on Thursday night to earn a 79-57 win at Mount Saint Mary. The Valiants just keep on rolling, picking up the team's eighth-straight win and their 11^th of their last 12.

The Valiants shot 53 percent from the field and 54 percent from beyond the arc, both the second-best team marks this season behind only Feb. 1's performance against St. Joseph's (Brooklyn). Seven Valiants connected from deep, led by a 4-of-7 effort from three point land by Mike Granda (Monroe Township, N.J./St. Joseph) who led the team with 15 points. The fifth year guard was also the team's leading rebounder on the night with six.

Connor Yetman (Sydney, Australia/The Scots College (H.S.)), Christ Maestre, and Matt Bielenda (Wethersfield, Conn./Xavier) each sank a pair from deep. Tommy Lotito (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's), Jake Dunn (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) and Jackson Leech (Chicago, Ill./Von Steuben) also got involved in the three pointer party with the trio all sinking a shot from beyond the arc. Leech would also finish second on the night in rebounds for the Valiants with five.

The threes started raining immediately, with the Valiants hitting their first two attempts from deep as they opened up the game with an 8-0 lead. The Knights were able to pull back to one before Manhattanville went on a 13-2 run capped off by a Maestre three to go back ahead 26-14. The lead continued to climb as the Valiants had a response to every Mount Saint Mary basket, ending the half on a Granda layup to go up 43-25. Through the opening 20 minutes, the Valiants shot 62 percent from the field and 67 percent (8-for-12) from deep.

While the Valiants weren't able to replicate their stellar first half shooting in the second, Manhattanville's lead would not dip below nine the rest of the way. A pair of Lotito jumpers spotted the Valiants a 21 point lead at 47-26. The Knights were able to close the gap with a 20-8 run that made the score 55-46 with 6:38 to play. Manhattanville refused to let it get any closer, outscoring the Knights 24-11 over the remainder of the half, quickly restoring the team's double-digit lead that would climb as high as 25.

Up Next
The Valiants wrap up the regular season on Saturday in a pivotal Skyline Conference matchup. First place in the North Division will be decided as Manhattanville takes on Merchant Marine Academy at 1 p.m. in Kings Point.

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