CADETS EDGE SAINTS, 71-66

NORTHFIELD, Vt. – Four players scored in double digits as the Norwich University men's basketball team held off Emmanuel College, 71-66, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) matchup on Saturday afternoon.  The Cadets improved to 5-8 on the season and 2-5 in the GNAC with the victory.  The loss was the fourth-straight GNAC setback for the visiting Saints, who fell to 4-10 overall and 2-6 in league play.

Emmanuel got a monster game from junior center Kyle Davis (Groveland, Mass.), who recorded his third double-double of the season and his eighth-straight game scoring in double digits.  Davis hit for 29 points, coming off of 11-22 shooting from the floor, while hauling in his career-high 21 rebounds.  Davis' 21 rebounds tied the Emmanuel College program record, set by Theo Robinson back in 2012.

Sophomore guard Julian Diggs (Upper Marlboro, Md.) added nine points and five rebounds off the bench for the Saints.  Sophomore guard Tyler Russ (Stratham, N.H.) chipped in with seven points in the effort for EC.

Senior forward Evan Tullar (Chelsea, Vt.) scored a team-high 15 points with four rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, while sophomore Kevin Ross (Ontario, Calif.) added 12 points and three assists for Norwich. Junior Alex Preckol (Westford, Mass.) contributed 11 points, followed by freshman center Mike Hogervorst (Leider, Netherlands) putting in 10 points along with a career-high six blocks on the day. 

Emmanuel jumped out to a 20-7 lead in the first seven minutes of the first half before, Preckol nailed a three-pointer to spark an 11-2 run as the Cadets trailed 24-21 at the 8:36 mark. The Saints would put up two points on the board before Ross made back-to-back baskets, including a three, to knot the contest at 26.

Both teams would trade baskets that saw three lead changes as time winded down and Emmanuel led 33-31 at the 1:12 mark, before Norwich closed out the half with Joe Bertrand (Saugus, Mass.) landing a bomb from beyond the arc at the buzzer to give the Cadets the 34-33 lead at the break.

Norwich took a commanding lead in the second half as the Cadets led by nine points, 57-48, with 10:42 to go. The Saints kept pounding away, making each shot count and Emmanuel trailed by two points, 64-62, at the 5:05 mark before finding themselves in foul trouble near the end.

With the Cadets leading 68-65 after a pair of free throws by Tullar, the Saints quickly called for a timeout, hoping to establish a late rally, but the plan faltered as the Cadets chewed up the clock, forcing Emmanuel to intentionally foul in the next 30 seconds.  Warden, Ross, and Hogervorst each went 1-for-2 at the charity stripe for the 71-66 score, putting the game out of reach for the Saints.

The Cadets shot 53.8 percent from the floor and 52.6 from the free throw line, as the Saints made just 41 percent of their shots from the field and 46.2 percent from the stripe. Emmanuel doubled up Norwich on the glass with the Saints out-rebounding the Cadets, 46-23.

Both teams will be back in action on Monday, January 19th, when the Cadets host Suffolk University in a 7:30 PM GNAC matchup and Emmanuel travels to Johnson & Wales for a 5:00 PM start. 

- Release Courtesy of Norwich University Sports Information