BUFFALO, NY - A big first half and stifling team defense led #1 Villa Maria to a convincing 91-55 home victory over SUNY ESF on Saturday afternoon to improve to 8-1 on the season.

Junior guard DeJaun Owens (Buffalo, NY/Tapestry Charter School) finished with a game-high 24 points as Villa put 59 points on the board and led by 40, 59-19 at halftime.  Freshman Lonnie Taylor (Medina, NY/Medina High School) scored 20 and grabbed eight rebounds while both Dominic Douglas (Bainbridge, GA/Bainbridge High School) and Jonathan Pozo (Bronx, NY/Erie Community College) also hit double-figures with 12 and 13 points respectively.

Villa shot 63.2 percent in the first half and 53.6 percent for the game.  They were 9-15 (60%) from three in the first half and forced 24 ESF turnovers which led directly to a 29-7 edge in points off turnovers.  Villa out-scored ESF 46-26 in the paint and had a 22-6 advantage in fast-break points.

Junior guard Jay Scarbrough (Niagara Falls, NY/Cayuga Community College) finished with eight points while sophomore Kevin Ford (Buffalo, NY/Amherst High School) had a game-high seven assists off the bench.

BOX SCORE
Villa Maria Vikings (8-1, 3-0 NIAC)                59 - 32 -- 91
SUNY ESF (2-4, 0-0 HVIAC)                         19 - 36 -- 55

WHAT THEY SAID
HC Don Silveri "This was a team that beat us last year, that is always well coached, so we knew we would have to come out with a lot of energy and that's exactly what we did.  We played defense and executed in the first half which allowed us to get up big."

UP NEXT
Villa is now 8-1 on the season.  The number-one team in the country next plays on Tuesday at 7 p.m. when they host the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville.