Three players scoring in double figures and another stellar rebounding performance from Neal Hill were not enough to overcome a solid shooting quick paced University of Bridgeport squad as the Chestnut Hill college Men's Basketball team dropped a conference clash to the Purple Knights 88-77 Saturday afternoon at Sorgenti Arena.

Chestnut Hill falls to 4-8 overall and 0-2 in Central Atlantic collegiate conference games.  The Purple Knights improve to 7-6 overall and 2-1 in league play.

Omari Salvi led the Griffins with 24 points while IV Pettit added 19.   Landon Shivers came off the bench to chip in ten points.

Hill became the first NCAA division II player this season to record two games with 20+ rebounds, notching 20 on the afternoon.  The senior forward also become the first NCAA Division II player since the 2022-23 season to record back-to-back games with 20 or more rebounds, equaling the feat accomplished by Jayden DeWaal of Mercy in February of 2023.

Alejandro Redondo Cybak added six rebounds while Noah Charles led the team with five assists.

Salvi scored 17 of his 24 points in the first half, including a three-point basket to open the scoring in the contest to give the Griffins the early lead.  The two teams exchanged leads early with neither team pulling away.  Salvi's layup at 12:08 brought the Griffins within one 16-15 before Bridgeport exploded with a 24-10 uprising to take a 15-point lead 40-25 with 5:11 left in the half.  The Griffins countered with a 14-2 run to pull within three 42-39 with 1:54 left.  Kamal Lee started the run with a three-point basket and the Griffins followed with buckets from Hill and Cybak. Salvi scored the final  seven points of the run.  UB scored four of the final six points of the half to lead 46-41 at the break. 

Chestnut Hill opened the second half with a 5-1 mini-run to pull within one 47-46 in the first 1:19 of the period.  Ten straight points from the Purple Knights followed and the Griffins again found themselves in a double-digit hole., 57-46.  Bridgeport led by 12, 62-50 with 14:09 left when the Griffins for ten straight points to close within two, 62-50 with 11 minutes left in the game.  Two straight UB baskets and the visitors were back up by seven.  However, the Griffins kept the game from getting away from them over the next six minutes, not letting the Purple Knights pull away any further and twice pulling within two points.  Cybak's layup with 3:25 left cut the lead to 79-77 but that would be the last points scored by CHC  as Bridgeport scored the final nine points to finish with the 88-77 win.

Aliou Cisse led the Purple Knights with 29 points  (12-15 FG).  Nick Traill had seven rebounds.

Bridgeport shot 49.3% (35-71) from the field while holding the Griffins to just 34.9% shooting (22-63).  CHC doubled up the Purple knights at the free throw line, 24-12,  the bulk of which came in the second half  as they shot 16 of 23 in the period.  Bridgeport shot 11-for-20 from the line in the second half as both teams combined to commit 29 fouls in the period (43 total for the game.).   Both teams grabbed 44 total rebounds in the contest.  Bridgeport took advantage of 13 CHC turnovers to score 18 points while ten UB turnovers led to just eight points by the Griffins.

The men's basketball team returns to action on Wednesday, January 8, 2024, when they host Holy Family University at Sorgenti Arena.  Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.