Box Score Philadelphia, Pa. - (12/2/2017) – Today's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) opener with Goldey-Beacom College went down to the wire as junior guard Cartier Talford and senior guard Demetrius Isaac (Philadelphia, Pa.) kept Chestnut Hill College ahead for the majority of an eventual 78-74 Lighting win. They scored 37 points combined; the former added two rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and four steals to his 19 points, while the latter finished with 18 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

A timely tip-in from senior forward Dante Thompson (Coram, N.Y.) (72-70, 0:57) separated Goldey-Beacom College (3-4, 1-0) from the 13^th and final tie, 70-70, of the game. Prior to that, sophomore forward Keith Williams (Deptford, N.J.) tipped in a missed layup and swatted the Lightning's following field goal attempt, before a three point basket from freshman guard Colin Flach (Glenside, Pa.) gave Chestnut Hill College (1-6, 0-1) a seven-point, 61-54, advantage at 8:12 of the second half. But the Scarlet and Gold lead crumbled under the determined effort of junior guard Corey Taite (Sayreville, N.J.) and the athletic play of freshman guard Marcellus Livingston (Linden, N.J.), who tied the game at 61-61 with 7:17 remaining. Less than two minutes later (5:31), Taite hit a pair of free throws to push the Lightning ahead by one point, 63-62. The contest knotted five more times over the next four minutes and separated for the last time on Thompson's tip. After that another pair of Taite free throws all but iced the game.

Taite led four Lightning in double figures with 18 points. He was 5-of-13 (.385) from the floor and a perfect 7-of-7 (1.000) from the free throw line, while also recording six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Livingston totaled 15 points, four rebounds, an assist, and a block off the Goldey-Beacom College bench while junior guard Mahir Johnson (Chester, Pa.) and Thompson offered 13 points and 10 points, respectively. Johnson also recorded five rebounds and a block, while Thompson finished with an additional seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Chestnut Hill College held a narrow 37-36 halftime advantage thanks to slight, 20-16, rebounding edge and a 14-of-15 (.933) effort at the free throw line. Talford scored nine of his 19 points in the opening half, which also saw seven points apiece from Isaac, junior forward Tony Toplyn Jr. (Sicklerville, N.J.), and junior guard Liban Awl (Manassas, Va.). Awl and junior forward Roman Letterlough (Harrisburg, Pa.) each finished with 10 points; the former threw in three rebounds and four assists to his fifth double digit scoring performance of the season, while the latter added seven rebounds and three assists to his first double digit performance as a member of the Scarlet and Gold. Toplyn was nearly the Griffins' fifth starter in double figures; he scored nine points while leading the Chestnut Hill College defense with seven rebounds and four blocks.
 
Chestnut Hill College continues their CACC schedule on Tuesday, December 5, when they visit Jefferson University for an 8:00 p.m. contest.