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Basketball Spotlight:
Balanced Attack Helps Devils Snap Losing Streak

Saturday, January 29, 2005

By Bob Heller
USIP Sports Information Director

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia used a well balanced scoring attack to defeat Post University, 85-68 this afternoon at the Bobby Morgan Arena, snapping a four game losing streak in the process.

Bill Kurtz (So., Shawnee HS/Shamong, NJ) and Gene Willard (Sr., Cardinal O'Hara HS/ Broomall, PA) led the Devils with 17 points apiece. Kurtz was 5-for-12 from the field (5-10 from beyond the three point arc). Willard was 4-for-6 from the field (3-for-3 from three-point range) and a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Eric Cangelosi (So., Camden Catholic HS/ Haddon Heights, NJ) added 15 points while Chris Dougherty (Sr., Haverford HS/Haverford, PA) came off the bench to chip in 12 points. Arthur Robertson and Joel Feagin each had 17 for the Eagles while Justin Skipwith chipped in 14.

With Post taking an early 3-2 lead in the opening minute of play, the Devils went on an 11-2 run to go up by eight, 13-5 with 16:11 left. Cangelosi's layup started the run, followed by a Willard '3-ball' and a Pete Adams (Sr., Camden Catholic HS/Marlton, NJ) driving layup. Post's Feagin countered with a layup before the Devils got baskets from Willard and Cangelosi to close out the run. Post then scored the next five points to pull within three, 13-10 with 14:55 left in the period before the Devils used a 12-2 run over the next 2:43 to open up a double-digit lead, 25-12. Kurtz connected on four three-point field goals to account for all 12 points of the run.

Post countered with a 13-5 run to cut the Devils lead to five. Robertson scored seven of the Eagles 13 points during the run, with Feagin, Alex Tonne and Marques Brown each adding a basket to account for the 13 points. Brown's three-point field goal at the 2:43 mark pulled Post within four, 35-31. Skipwith added a '3-ball' with 1:14 left before USP's Willard scored five straight points to take go up by 10, 44-34 with just 20 seconds left. Skipwith nailed a 'three' for the Eagles with five seconds left and the Devils held a seven-point lead at the break, 44-37.

Post opened the second period with an 11-6 run, cutting the Devils lead to two, 50-48 with 15:59 remaining. The Devils followed with a 14-5 run to go back up by double digits, 64-53 with 11:42 left. Collin Harrington (So., Bishop Eustace HS/Sewell, NJ) had six of his eight points in the game during this run, starting the rally with a layup and finishing it with a short hook shot in the paint. USP still led by nine, 66-57 when they went on a 9-0 run to take a 75-57 lead with 6:29 left in the game. Willard started things off with a pair of free throws and the last of of his three three-point field goals. Adams and Chris Brattelli (Sr., Highland Regional HS/Clementon, NJ) then added layups before Post's Skipwith broke the streak with his last three-point field goal of the game (3 in all) at the 5:34 mark, making the score 75-60. Robertson added a layup and a free throw to pull the Eagles within 12, 75-63 with 4:36 left.

A 10-2 run over the next 3:04 by USP put the game out of reach for Post and gave the Devils their biggest lead, 20 points, 85-65 with 1:05 left. Post scored the final three points of the game making the final margin, 17, 85-68.

USP connected on 8 of 15 shots from beyond the arc for a solid 53.3% effort. Conversely, Post was 6-for-20 (30%) from long range (1-10 in the second half). For the game the Devils shot 47.3% (26-55) while Post made 27 of 60 shots (45.0%) from the field. USP made 25 of 30 free throws to Post's 8-for-16 and outrebounded the Eagles 39-32.

In sweeping the regular season series from the Eagles for the first time in school history, the Devils improve to 7-11 overall and 6-6 in league play. Post drops to 3-14 overall and 3-10 in conference action. Next up for USP will be a conference road matchup at Wilmington College on Tuesday, February 1, 2005.

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