Box Score Philadelphia, PA – (2/1/2012) – After keeping Chestnut Hill College one step ahead of the University of the Sciences (USciences) for thirty nine minutes, junior guard Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, NJ) put the finishing touches on a 77-67 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) victory and a milestone evening with game-clinching free throws. He recorded his 1,000^th career point with 40 seconds to play and he totaled 29 points in the affair and helped the Griffins match their highest CACC win total (8).
 
In another gritty matchup between the cross-city CACC rivals, the Griffins used a 70.0% (14-of-20) first half shooting performance to gain a narrow 35-34 halftime advantage, before separating for victory on DiRugeris' historic free throws. USciences (3-15, 1-10) and Chestnut Hill College (15-7, 8-2) were tied eight times in the second half with the last time coming with 5:03 left to play, 60-60. Down the stretch the Devils senior forward Myer Messinger (Trucksville, PA) looked to make something happen for the home team, but he came up short on two critical three-point attempts allowing the Griffins to slip out to a late (1:16) eight-point advantage, 70-62. While ensuring victory at the charity stripe, DiRugeris scored his 1,000^th career point with 40 seconds to play.
 
Henry Messinger (Trucksville, PA) carried the Devils in the opening half, totaling 16 points in the period by hitting 6-of-8 (75.0%) from the floor. He finished with 25 points, three assists, a block, and two steals. His brother, Myer, recorded ten points and three steals while directing the Devils with six assists. Freshman forward Garret Kerr (Moorestown, NJ) made it 13 straight games with a double-double, offering 14 points and ten rebounds.
 
DiRugeris was 8-of-11 (73.0%) from the field, 4-of-5 (80.0%) from three-point territory, and 9-of-10 (90.0%) from the free throw line. He led the Griffins in all facets of play with 29 points, seven rebounds, two assists, a block, and a steal. Senior forward Dan Comas (Philadelphia, PA) supported DiRugeris with 16 points and five rebounds while freshman guard Luke Dickson (Pitman, NJ) and junior guard Francis Ashe (Greenbelt, MD) took turns running the offense with four assists apiece. DiRugeris is the third Griffin to reach the 1,000 point plateau this season, following Comas and senior guard Brandon Williams (Philadelphia, PA), which makes the 2011-2012 Griffins the first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II East Region program since CACC rival, Caldwell College had Sulaiman Muhammad, Michael Pero, and Paul Tonkovich reach 1,000 points in the 2002-2003 season.

The men's basketball team continues CACC play at home on Saturday, February 4, with a 3:00 p.m. contest against Nyack College.