Philadelphia, Pa. – (12/19/2018) – At the conclusion of the contest, both sides shot better from the floor than they did at the free throw line and turned the ball over at least 20 times; unfortunately Georgian Court University (.574 31-of-54 FG/.409, 9-of-19 FT) won the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) prize from Chestnut Hill College (.464, 26-of-56 FG/.429, 9-of-21 FT), by a dozen (12) points, 80-68. Senior guard Liban Awl (Manassas, Va.) scored 13 of his team-high 16 points in the first half of tonight's contest, while freshman guard Trevonn Pitts (Wyncote, Pa.), junior guard Billy Miller VI (Pine Hill, N.J.), and sophomore guard Colin Flach (Glenside, Pa.) headlined the Griffins' second-half effort.
 
Georgian Court University (2-8, 1-1) paced Chestnut Hill College (3-7, 0-2) through five ties in a pedestrian first half that settled with Lions just four points ahead of the Griffins, 38-34. Awl was 4-of-7 (.571) from the floor with three, three pointers (3-of-6, .500), and a pair of free throws (2-of-2, 1.000) on top of two rebounds, two assists, and three steals. He got some hustle help from senior forward Dexter Thompson (Providence, R.I.) and freshman forward Amir Warrick (Washington, DC), but despite a 14-of-25 (.560) team shooting performance, a slightly better three point effort (6-of-12, .500/3-of-11, .273) kept the Lions a couple steps ahead of the Griffins.
 
In the second half, the Georgian Court University lead reached double digits, 47-37, at 16:09 and maxed out at 22 points, 65-43, just past the nine-minute mark (8:59). Pitts and Miller helped Chestnut Hill College stem the tide until a Flach three pointer cut the Lion lead to single digits, 75-66, with 1:42 remaining. Unfortunately, the Lions eventually hit enough late free throw opportunities to exhaust the Griffins in an 80-68 end.
 
Five Lions finished in double figures; junior guard Sean Barksdale (Lakewood, N.J.) led the group with 18 points, but sophomore guard Bryce Council (Harlem, N.Y.) led the Georgian Court University pride with 11 points, 11 assist, two rebounds, and two steals.
 
Awl finished 5-of-10 (.500) from the field, hitting four of his baskets from behind the three point line (4-of-9, .444), in addition to his two first half free throws in a season-high 16-point scoring performance. Pitts, Miller, and Warwick each finished with nine points; the first added six rebounds, three assists, and three steals, while the last was equally impressive with an additional six rebounds, two assists, and three steals.

Chestnut Hill College breaks from their CACC schedule for the last time on Monday, December 31, when they visit National Collegiate Atlantic Association (NCAA) Division I opponent, University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) for a 1:00 p.m. contest.