Center Valley, PA (February 6, 2016) – The DeSales University men's basketball team hit 12 three-pointers and held Delaware Valley University to just 30.2 percent shooting moving into a first-place tie with the Aggies after a 73-58 win on Saturday afternoon in Billera Hall.
 
Junior Brian Laird was the story offensively, netting 28 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including seven three-pointers.  Senior Cody Deal added 12 points, including the first eight of the game for DeSales (15-6, 7-3 MAC Freedom) and sophomore Aaron Burton finished with eight points and eight rebounds.  Junior Kuity Slanger had a team-high nine boards and junior Brandon Bridy handed out a game-high six assists.
 
Chris Moran led the Aggies (16-5, 7-3 MAC Freedom) with 16 points and 11 rebounds, Barry Brockington totaled 13 points, and Alex Matsinye finished with 14 points in the loss.
 
DeSales never trailed in the win as Deal scored DSU's first eight points and Laird added a three at the 15:52 mark to give the Bulldogs an early 11-2 lead.  Back-to-back 3's from Laird and Burton pushed the first-half margin up to 13 points (19-6) at the 13:12 mark and the Bulldogs led by eight (35-27) at the break.
 
DSU hit six 3's in the first-half and held DVU to just 30.3 percent (10-for-33) shooting.
 
The Aggies came out energized in the second-half getting within three points twice including 40-37 at the 14:22 mark but DeSales responded in a big way using an 18-1 run over the next 4:40 to take a 58-38 lead and never looked back from there.
 
Laird led the run with three triples, sophomore Ryan Callahan added a dunk in transition, and sophomore Connor Jones also hit a three during the spurt.  The lead peaked as high as 23 points (63-40) before the final was posted.
 
DSU finished the game shooting 48.2 percent from the field and a season-high 63.2 percent (12-for-19) from outside the arc.  The Bulldog defense was terrific holding DVU to just 30.2 percent shooting and out-rebounding the taller Aggies, 42-33, for the game.
 
Laird earns A.B.E. Doors and Windows Player of the Game honors, coming up just one point shy of his career-high, set last week in the win over King's College.
 
The Bulldogs are back in action on Wednesday as they travel to Wilkes University for a very important MAC Freedom game beginning at 8:00 pm.