Box Score Lakewood, N.J. - (2/3/2016) – For a change of pace, the men's basketball teams tipped off first in this evening's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) doubleheader at Georgian Court University. Looking to a different cast of characters than usual, Chestnut Hill College earned another valuable South Division victory, 65-64, on the last-minute efforts of senior forward Noel Hightower (Easton, Pa.) and sophomore guard Demetrius Isaac (Philadelphia, Pa.), and freshman forward Antonio Toplyn Jr. (Sicklerville, N.J.). Sophomore forward Edward McWade (Wildwood, N.J.) led the Griffins with 19 points, making the difference at the free throw line alongside Isaac, who worked his way to the charity stripe for a pair of game-winning free throws with 15 seconds (0:15) remaining on the clock.
 
Neither side saw a double-digit lead in a tightly played contest as Chestnut Hill College (9-12, 6-7) forged ahead of Georgian Court University (5-16, 4-10) midway through the first half before tying the Lions three times and exchanging the lead with them 10 times in a back-and-forth second half that concluded with a clutch block from Toplyn and a last-second miss from the Lions. The Griffins led by as many as six points, 48-42, on a Toplyn dunk with 11:52 left to play. But a responsorial three-pointer, a Chestnut Hill College turnover, and a layup returned the deficit to a single point, 48-47, just a minute later (10:52). The Lions briefly took the lead on a layup by sophomore guard Michael Pierre (Melrose, N.Y.), 49-48 (10:28), before a three-pointer from senior guard Ryan Griffin (West Friendship, Md.) put the Griffins ahead once again, 51-49 (10:11). The lead changed hands six times in the final 10 minutes, tying three times in a process that featured critical three-point baskets from sophomore center Christopher Evans (Norristown, Pa.), 54-54 (7:15), and freshman guard Liban Awl (Manassas, Va.), 57-56 (5:34), before a glut of free throws form Isaac and McWade and a jumper from Griffin won the Griffins the upper hand, 65-64, with only seconds remaining on scoreboard (0:15) and the Lions' first would-be game-winning effort swatted away by Toplyn.
 
Chestnut Hill College was 10-of-27 (.370) from three point range and 13-of-17 (.765) from the free throw line while Georgian Court University stayed in the mix with a 58.3% (14-of-24) second-half shooting performance. They were led by an 18-point effort from sophomore guard Juwuan Carter (Paterson, N.J.) and a double-double performance (13 points and 10 rebounds) from freshman forward Nikola Vujovic (Novi Sad, Serbia). Carter added three rebounds, five assists, and four steals to his scoring. The Lions received 24 points off their bench with 22 of them coming from the combined efforts of sophomore guard Hamilton Capellan (Perth Amboy, N.J.) and Pierre. Capellan finished with 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal while Pierre added four rebounds and three assists to his 10 points.
 
McWade scored 15 of his team-high 19 points in the first half. He finished 5-of-11 (.455) from the field, 3-of-8 (.375) from three-point range, and 6-of-9 (.667) from the free throw line, while providing six rebounds and two assists. Griffin finished with a career-high 13 points, hitting three (3-of-8, .375) from long range while Isaac went 5-of-6 (.833) at the free throw line in an 11-point performance that also included three rebounds, an assist, and two steals. Hightower split his 10 rebounds between the offensive and defensive ends of the floor in addition to recording two points, three assists, a block, and a steal.
 
The Griffins return to Sorgenti Arena on Saturday, February 6, when the welcome Caldwell University to campus for an 3:00 p.m. CACC tip-off.