Center Valley, PA (January 3, 2024) - Senior Will Bowen poured in a season-high 16 points leading the DeSales University men's basketball team to a 69-50 win over MAC Freedom preseason favorite Arcadia University in the conference opener on Wednesday evening in Billera Hall.

The Basics

• Final Score: DeSales - 69, Arcadia - 50
• Records: DeSales (10-2, 1-0 MAC Freedom); Arcadia (7-5, 0-1 MAC Freedom)
• This was a rematch of last season's MAC Freedom Championship game.
• DSU snaps a two-game losing skid to Arcadia and improves to 20-10 all-time vs. the Knights.

How it Happened

• Arcadia started quickly in this one, opening up a 10-5 lead over the first five minutes of the game.
• DeSales took control from there using a 24-6 run over the span of 9:13 to take a 29-16 lead with 4:25 left in the first half.
• Senior Mason Barnes started the run with two 3's and Bowen had five points during the run.
• The Knights chipped away at the margin and got within four points before a Bowen three ended the half giving DSU a 34-27 lead.
• The Bulldogs stormed out of the locker rooms scoring the first eight points to take a 15-point lead.
• Arcadia got within seven points once (49-42) but nine quick points from the Bulldogs thwarted any further comeback as the lead never fell below double digits over the final seven minutes of the game.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Bowen hit four 3's to lead all scorers.
• Senior Christian Guldin added 14 points, pulled down eight boards, and finished with five steals.
• Junior Caleb Gibbs had 11 points and four steals.
• Senior Elijah Eberly had 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
• Barnes finished with eight points and six assists.

For the Foes

• Jalen Watkins and Darius Isaac each had 10 points in the loss.
• Joshua Okocha had five points and 10 rebounds.

Inside the Box Score

• DeSales held Arcadia to just 39.1 percent shooting and 18 turnovers leading to 28 points off those miscues.
• DSU was 9-for-22 (40.9%) from outside the arc and held the Knights to just 5-for-21 (23.8%) from three-point land.
• The Bulldogs had just 10 turnovers.

Up Next

• DSU is back in action on Saturday when they travel to FDU-Florham for another MAC Freedom game set to begin at 3:00 pm.