RADNOR, PA – The Cavaliers withstood a late charge from the College of Staten Island to score a 76-74 win over the Dolphins today at Nerney Field House in the inaugural CUNYAC/CSAC Challenge.

The Blue and White has now won 13 of its last 14 games, improving to 18-3 with today's nonconference victory.

Senior Tyheim Monroe posted his 20th double-double, earning game high honors with 29 points and 17 rebounds. Classmate Deryl Bagwell also notched a double-double, pairing 10 points and 11 boards to go with four assists and three steals.

CSI took an early lead, scoring the game's first five points. The Blue and White rallied to even the score at 9-9. Minutes later, Cabrini grabbed some control of the game with a quick 7-0 spurt, building an 18-11 cushion at the 12:43 mark.

Despite their lead ranging from 2-6 points for much of the half, the Cavaliers' lead grew as high as 33-23 when freshman Trey Smith his Bagwell for a lay-up with 4:14 left in the half.  

Monroe's triple on Cabrini's final possession of the half sent the Blue and White to the locker room with a 40-34 lead.

Despite shooting nearly 47% from the field and committing just six first half turnovers, the Cavaliers could not pull away from a game Dolphins squad.

CSI immediately cut into the lead, scoring the first five points of the half. The Cavaliers regained their collective footing and pushed their lead to 57-47 on Bagwell's lay-up with 10:16 to play.

The Dolphins kept the game close for 30 minutes and were ready to make their move. CSI used a 15-2 run over the next four minutes to build a 62-59 lead with 6:22 to play.

The lead was short-lived, as junior Mike Doyle hit sophomore Keith Blassingale for a three on Cabrini's next possession to even the score.  The Blue and White regained the lead at the 4:22 mark, as Blassingale and Bagwell combined for five fast break points.

The Dolphins would not go quietly, as the evened the score at 69 and took a 71-69 lead with 79 seconds to play on back to back buckets by sophomore Christian Taylor.

On the Cavaliers' next possession, Monroe drained a pair of free throws, then recorded a steal the led to two Blassingale free throws and a 73-71 lead with 1:06 to play.

The clubs went scoreless on their next three combined trips down the floor until Monroe hit a free throw to give Cabrini a 74-71 lead with 12 seconds to play.

 Taylor and Blassingale exchanged a pair of free throws, as the Cavaliers maintained their 76-73 lead with five seconds on the clock.

Cabrini sent Taylor back to the line, where he split a pair of free throws with 0:02 to play. Monroe secured his 17th rebound with 1.7 seconds left, securing the win for the Cavaliers.

The Blue and White held on for the win despite shooting just 31% from the field in the second half, including 3-12 from the three point line. Cabrini made up for its lack of shooting touch at the free throw line, where it went 15-21 after the break.

Blassingale finished with 15 points and three steals, while freshman DJ Smith chipped in with nine points, one more than junior Anthony Wright-Downing.

Taylor led the Dolphins (11-11) with 24 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, while junior Stephen Flagg added 12 points and five dimes.

Today's action marked the first CUNYAC/CSAC Challenge, pitting teams from the two Atlantic Region conferences. Nine CSAC teams were matched with teams from the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) based on each team's overall winning percentage.

The Cavaliers will return to conference play on Wednesday, when they make the trip to Keystone College (8-11, 7-6 CSAC). Tip is slated for 8pm in LaPlume, PA.