DELHI, NY - Despite a poor shooting performance, the Villa Maria men's basketball team won its fourth consecutive game to open the 2017-18 season after a 66-60 Northeastern Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (NIAC) victory over Fisher College on Saturday afternoon.
The game - which was contested at a neutral site on the campus of SUNY Delhi - saw both teams battle for 40 minutes and no lead larger than seven points. The Vikings shot just 32.4 percent from the floor but forced 29 turnovers which resulted directly into 25 points. Junior forward
Dominic Douglas (Bainbridge, GA/Bainbridge High School) led the team once again in points but it was freshman
Lonnie Taylor (Medina, NY/Medina High School) who came up with big plays - and more importantly - the big rebounds to propel Villa to victory. Taylor finished with his third double-double of the season as he scored 15 points and corralled a game-high 17 rebounds, eight on the offensive glass.
Junior
DeJaun Owens (Buffalo, NY/Tapestry Charter School) - who finished with 12 points - opened the scoring for Villa with a three pointer 12 seconds in. Fisher responded with 15 of the next 20 points and led by seven before an 11-2 Villa run gave Villa back a two-point edge. The Vikings took a four-point, 31-27 lead into halftime.
Owens once again opened the second half with another three ball to give Villa it's biggest lead, 34-27. Fisher took a one-point, 39-38 lead with 14:23 left but Villa again re-gained the edge, and extended the lead to five, 49-44 with 9:50 left after an "and-1" by Douglas.
Fisher tied the game at 60 with 2:42 left. Another Owens triple broke the tie and put Villa ahead for good as they were able to score the games final six points. Villa improves to 4-0 and 2-0 in the NIAC while Fisher drops to 1-2 and 0-1 in the NIAC.
BOX SCORE
Villa Maria Vikings (4-0, 2-0Â NIAC)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 31 - 35 -- 66
Fisher Falcons (1-2, 0-1 NIAC)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 27 - 33 -- 60
INSIDE THE BOX
* Villa finished with 11 assists on 23 made baskets
* VIlla shot just 5-25 from three and held Fisher to 2-13
* Junior
Jay Scarbrough (Niagara Falls, NY/Cayuga Community College) finished with seven points, seven rebounds and four steals
* Fisher out-rebounded Villa 42-39 but Villa won the battle on the offensive glass 14-4
* Villa had 25 points off turnovers to Fisher's eight
* Villa had 15 second chance points. Fisher had zero
* Junior
Jonathan Pozo (Bronx, NY/Erie Community College) and sophomore
Kevin Ford (Buffalo, NY/Amherst High School) each scored five points off the bench
* Villa had 10 steals as a team
* Villa shot 15-21 at the free throw line
WHAT THEY SAID
HC
Don Silveri "This was another game where we overcame some adversity and found a way to win. On the road, that's all you can ask for. We played a tough team and came out with a win despite some poor shooting. We'll take it."
UP NEXT
Villa will take on Buffalo State College in the Cole's Classic on Friday November 17th at the Buffalo State Sports Arena.
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