BUFFALO, NY - A quick start and balanced attack helped the Villa Maria Vikings men's basketball team jump out an early lead and never look back as they downed the Point Park Pioneers 92-78 on Tuesday evening inside the Villa Athletic Center.  This marks the first ever 6-0 start for the Vikings.  They started 5-0 in 2017-18.

Senior DeJaun Owens led the way for Villa, netting 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting.  Sophomore Gerald Bibbs and sophomore Daniel Thompson added 12 and 11 points off the bench respectively.  Sophomore Lonnie Taylor posted his sixth straight game in double-figures, scoring 10.

Villa led 27-12 with 8:38 left in the first half and eventually extended that lead to as many as 26 in the later stages of the half.  The Vikings led 54-30 at the break and maintained a sizable lead for a majority of the game.

The Vikings out-rebounded the Pioneers 49-31 and shot 46.4 percent from the field.  12 different players scored for Villa and every player finished with at least one rebound.  Junior Trayvon Holt led the way on the glass off the bench with seven.

Villa scored 42 points in the paint compared to just 26 from Point Park.  The Vikings' bench also outscored Point Park's 48-40.  They led by as many as 33 in the second half.

Bibbs had a solid overall game for Villa.  In addition to scoring 12 points, he finished with a game-high five assists and four rebounds.  

Point Park was led offensively by Justice Cuthbertson who scored 19 off the bench.  Daniel King chipped in 15 off the bench as well.

WHAT'S NEXT
Villa will now take some time off for the Thanksgiving holiday and will play next on Thursday, November 29th when they host Bryant & Stratton Syracuse at 7 p.m.

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Photo credit Lara Bridges Photography