Boxscore
PIKE CREEK, Del. – Senior guard Kyle White scored a career-high 31 points to lead the Goldey-Beacom College men's basketball team to a 71-63 victory over Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference rival University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Thurs. night at the Joseph West Jones Center.
The Lightning led by as many as 20 (50-30) at the 12:34 mark, but allowed USP to pull within three (66-63) with 20 seconds left in the game after a Devils three-point shooting spree, closely resembling the one that propelled Chestnut Hill to victory over the Lightning just two days prior. But junior point guard Azeez Ellegood hit two clutch free-throws and the Lightning closed the game out on a 5-0 run to win by an eight-point margin.
Junior forward Terrence Parkes also had a big night for the Lightning, posting his 10th double-double of the season with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Ellegood and fellow junior backcourt mate Sam McDuffie each pitched in three assists to go with 10 and nine points, respectively.
With the win, the Lightning swept the season series with its CACC South rival and improved to 15-5 overall and 9-2 in the conference. They remain second in the standings, one game back of idle Philadelphia University in the South Division's loss column. USP fell to 5-14 overall and 3-7 in conference play.
White opened the scoring for the night with a driving layup almost 30 seconds into the game, but USP's Omari Phillip answered with a three-point field goal to give the Devils its only lead of the night, 3-2. The two teams traded baskets for several minutes as the Devils knotted the score twice at 7-7 and 9-9.
GBC began to get some separation as White and Ellegood both hit three-point shots as part of an 8-2 Lightning run to go up 17-11. They would extend that lead to 29-17 with just under two minutes to play before a three-pointer by USP's Curtis Fitch brought the lead back down to nine, 29-20. Junior guard Darnell Cephas came up with a steal and cashed in with a layup with just under a minute for the final points of the half to give GBC a 31-20 lead at intermission.
A 19-10 start to the final period expanded a 31-20 lead to 50-30 after an Ellegood lay-up with 12:34 remaining, and the margin was still a comfortable, 59-43 at the 7:35 mark when USP made a serious push, outscoring the Lightning 14-2 to pull within 61-57 after a three-point field goal by William Kernan (21 points, 3-for-5 from three-point range) with 1:34 to go.
White answered with a trey of his own, but sophomore guard Omari Phillip (eight points) followed suit to keep it a 64-60 game with 34 seconds showing. White was fouled and converted both of his attempts, but senior center Curtis Fitch drained a three with 20 ticks left to make it a one-possession game at 66-63. That's where the rally would dry up, however, as Ellegood swished a pair of foul shots and GBC was home free.
The Lightning outshot USP 58-46 percent from the field for the night and held a 28-25 rebounding advantage. USP doubled up GBC with eight three-point field goals to GBC's four, but the Lightning converted 11 of their 14 free-throws while USP made 9-of-14, and committed one less turnover (10-11) while totaling two more assists (12-10).
GBC is next scheduled to visit CACC foe Post University in Waterbury, Conn. on Sat. at 3 p.m.
