ASTON, Pa. -   It took an explosive second half performance including 49 points and 57% shooting, but after 40 minutes the Cabrini College men's basketball team emerged from Neumann University's Mirenda Center with an 82-61 win tonight.  The victory improves the Blue and White to 15-5 overall and 11-2 in the Colonial States Athletic Conference. 

The Blue and White displayed offensive balance tonight as seven players recorded at least eight points.  Senior A.J. Williams led the club with a game high 19 points and six rebounds.  Fellow senior Jeremy Knowles added 16 points, nine boards, while junior Jon Miller paired 14 points on 7-7 shooting with seven rebounds.

The first half was played to a near dead heat, as the teams combined for 12 lead changes and nine ties in the opening 20 minutes of play.  Neither club built more than a three point lead during the first half.  Trailing by one late in the half, Williams knocked down a three pointer, sending Cabrini into the halftime break with a 33-31 lead.

While the Cavaliers hit 40% from the field in the first half, it was their rebounding that really kept them in the game.  Cabrini built a 27-14 rebounding advantage in the opening 20 minutes, including 11 offensive rebounds leading to a 12-2 lead second chance points.

The Blue and White emerged from the halftime break with a renewed focus, as it took the game to Neumann after the break.  Knowles' jumper 11 seconds into the half sent the Cavaliers on a 9-2 run.  Aaron Walton-Moss' lay-up gave the Cavaliers a 44-34 lead, forcing a Neumann timeout.  

Minutes later, a Williams' trey capped another 9-0 run, handing Cabrini a 55-37 lead.  Neumann got as close as nine points after a Mark Blount dunk that seemed to re-awaken the crowd, but a Knowles bucket followed by a Miller offensive rebound and put back spurred the Blue and White to another 9-2 run, quieting the crowd and re-establishing its 18 point lead.

Cabrini dominated the painted area in the second half, outscoring Neumann 28-6.  The Cavaliers outrebounded the Knights 20-12, including 11 offensive rebounds, which led to a 13-4 advantage in second chance points.  The Blue and White also turned nine Neumann turnovers into 16 second half points.

Junior Fran Rafferty tallied 11 points for Cabrini.  Walton-Moss narrowly missed a double-double with nine points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals.  Senior DeLeon Floyd and junior Tim McDaniels added eight points each.

Blount and Dom Gibson led the Knights (8-11, 7-5 CSAC) with 13 points each, while Rich Whitten added 11 points.  Blount also tallied six blocked shots.

The Cavaliers will return to the floor on Saturday as they travel down 202 to visit Immaculata University (10-9, 9-3 CSAC).  The Mighty Macs snapped the Cavaliers' 45 game home win streak on December 5 when they captured a 66-60 win at Nerney Field House.