Men's Hoops Fall to Stevens,
66-62
UNION, N.J. (11/23/08) - Stevens Institute of
Technology senior guard Virgil Gray (Elmwood Park, N.J.)
scored a game-high 28 points to lead the Ducks to a 66-62 victory
over host Kean University in non-conference men's basketball action
on Sunday afternoon.
The Cougars (2-2) were led by junior forward Brian Lytle
(Union, N.J.) with a double-double of 12 points and 10
rebounds. 
Gray knocked down four three-pointers and converted 10-of-14
from the charity stripe for the Ducks (4-0).
In a back-and-forth first half that saw both teams lead by as
many as six points, Stevens took a three-point lead into halftime
at 33-30. Virgil and senior guard Anthony Passalacqua
(Staten Island, N.Y.) each had 11 points in the opening half,
while senior guard Yasien Beatty (Jersey City,
N.J.) (pictured right) led the Cougars with eight points.
The Ducks extended the lead to as many as eight points in the
second half, before the Cougars used a 7-0 run to tie the game at
55-55 with 5:33 remaining. The Cougars took their first lead
of the second half (57-56) on a pair of free throws by junior
Eugene Tolliver (East Orange, N.J.) and would
increase the lead to 60-57 on a free throw by sophomore
Akinwande Oshodi (Florence, N.J.) with 3:29 left.
Stevens eventually tied the game at 62-62 on a three-pointer by
Virgil with 1:13 on the clock and took the lead for good on a
tip-in by senior guard Michael Baker (Mesa, Ariz.).
Virgil knocked down a pair of free throws with just three seconds
left to seal the victory.
For Kean, Lytle hit 6-of-10 from the floor and added three
blocks, while Oshodi (pictured left) finished with 11 points, five
rebounds and four assists. Sophomore forward Jonathan
Jones (Linden, N.J.) added seven points, nine rebounds,
two assists and two steals for the Cougars.
In the victory, Passalacqua finished with 14 points on the
strength of four three-pointers, while Baker chipped in with nine
points and a game-high nine assists.
The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, November 25, when they
host John Jay College in doubleheader action. The men are
scheduled to tip-off at 8 p.m.
