Box Score Philadelphia, PA – (2/7/2012) – At halftime, two points separated Chestnut Hill College and Philadelphia University in the second of two regular season meetings between the Griffins and their cross-city Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) rivals, the Rams. In the second half, senior center Temi Adebayo (Idaban, Nigeria) was the difference maker, scoring 18 second-half points, 24 total, before fouling out in a 65-58 Ram victory.
 
Philadelphia University (15-6, 10-2) seemed to always be one possession ahead of Chestnut Hill College (16-8, 9-3), who first relied on the play of freshman forward Alssene Saintilus (Irvington, NJ) before fighting to stay alive behind the outside shooting of junior guard Mark DiRugeris Jr. (Woodbury, NJ). Off a DiRugeris steal, a thunderous Saintilus dunk delivered the Griffins an early 5-1 lead at the Gallagher Center (16:43). The Griffins still held the lead five minutes later (11:34), but by then the Rams tightened the affair to a one-point deficit, 10-9. Play went back-and-forth over the remainder of the period and after the seventh tie of the frame, 24-24, the Rams took a 26-24 lead into the locker rooms with a last-possession bucket from sophomore guard Nick Christian (Bensalem, PA). Following intermission, the Griffin backcourt would keep them in the game. Early on DiRugeris was able to equate Adebayo's post play with deadeye, long distance shooting and contorting drives to the lane, but as time wore on it was sophomore guard Jakeem Bogans (Philadelphia, PA) who kept the Griffins alive. With a slash to the lane at 10:26, he tied the contest at 44-44, but that was a close as Adebayo would let it get. With the help of junior guard Jimmy Connolly (Harleysville, PA), Adebayo and the Rams responded with  a 8-0 run to own a daunting 55-47 lead with 5:56 remaining on the game clock. Following a Griffin timeout, a three-point play from junior guard Francis Ashe (Greenbelt, MD) cut the Ram lead to five, 55-50 (5:25), and less than a minute after that (4:47) a put-back from senior forward Dan Comas (Philadelphia, PA) narrowed the Ram lead to three, 55-52, but with Connolly's game-clinching shots the Rams would survive for a seven-point victory.
 
In 24 minutes, Adebayo efficiently (10-of-15, 66.7%) provided the Rams with 21 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks. Connolly also finished with 21 points, but he earned his from long range (2-of-5, 40.0%) and the free throw line (7-of-8, 87.5%). Christian contributed in other a little in all facets of the game, supplying six points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

DiRugeris hit 3-of-8 (37.5%) from three-point range en route to a 14-point evening. He also helped generate offense off the pass, helping senior guard Brandon Williams (Philadelphia, PA) run the point with three assists. Williams recorded four assists in addition to five points and eight rebounds. Saintilus finished the contest with 11 points, five rebounds, a block and an assist, while Comas chipped in with eight points, five rebounds, and two blocks.
 
The men's basketball team returns home to host Wilmington University in a 8:00 p.m. CACC contest on Thursday, February 9.