Center Valley, PA (February 24, 2024) - The #16 DeSales University men's basketball team shot a season-low 33.8 percent from the field falling to Stevens, 54-53, in the MAC Freedom Championship game in Billera Hall on Saturday afternoon.

The Basics

• Final Score: Stevens - 54, #16 DeSales - 53
• Records: #16 DeSales (24-3 overall); Stevens (22-5 overall)
• The Bulldogs now must rely on earning an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament with the selections announced at 1:00 pm on Monday afternoon.
• The loss snaps DSU's school-record win streak at 21 straight and the Bulldogs 11-game home winning streak.
• Stevens snaps a seven-game losing skid to the Bulldogs as DSU is now 10-3 all-time vs. the Ducks.

How it Happened

• This game was a defensive battle the entire afternoon as neither team shot well and both teams struggled to score.
• DeSales broke an early tiea at six with six straight points to take a 12-6 lead before Stevens used a 10-4 run to tie the game at 16 with 6:17 to go in the opening half.
• The Bulldogs scored seven straight points to take a 23-16 lead and led by eight (27-19) at the break.
• The Ducks scored the first five points of the second-half to get within three but senior Will Bowen caught fire scoring 11 straight points for DeSales giving the hosts a 38-27 lead.
• A bucket from junior Caleb Gibbs put DSU up 13 (40-27) at the 11:34 mark and the lead was still 11 after a step-back jumper from senior Jordan Holmqvist with 9:37 remaining.
• Trailing by eight (44-36), the Ducks scored eight straight points to tie the score at 44 with 4:46 on the clock.
• A free throw from senior Mason Barnes and triple from Holmqvist gave DSU a 48-44 lead but Stevens answered with five straight points to take its first lead of the second-half (49-48) with 3:38 left.
• The two teams traded baskets and after a DeSales miss, Tommy Scholl hit his fourth three-pointer of the game on as many attempts with 2:15 left giving Stevens a 54-50 lead.
• Each team had an empty possession before Barnes hit a three-pointer the logo pulling DeSales within one (54-53) with 1:04 left.
• DSU got a stop and called timeout with 28 seconds left with possession of the ball in front of their bench.
• Senior Christian Guldin missed a three near the end of the shot clock and the Bulldogs immediately fouled Scholl with eight seconds left.
• Scholl missed both free throws and Barnes collected the rebound, drove the length of the court, and was fouled drving to the basket.
• After a Ducks timeout, Barnes missed both charity tosses and Stevens chased down the rebound as time expired giving the Ducks the win.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Bowen led DeSales with 13 points, including 11 in a row during the second-half.
• Gibbs recorded his eighth double-double of the year with 10 points and a career-high 19 rebounds.
• Barnes had six points, seven rebounds, and six assists in the loss.

For the Foes

• Scholl entered the game averaging 3.4 points per game and poured in a game-high 16, hitting 4-for-4 from outside the arc.
• Xander Singh also reached double digits with 15 points.

Inside the Box Score

• DeSales shot a season-low 33.8 percent from the field and just 23.1 percent from outside the arc.
• DSU out-rebounded the Ducks, 44-33.
• Stevens bench out-scored DeSales', 24-13.