Riverdale, NY - The College of Mount Saint Vincent's men's basketball team played on their home floor for the first time in the 2023-24 season and picked up a win along the way in a tight matchup against local rival Hunter College. James Mooney's second unit was the catalyst behind the come-from-behind victory, with the bench exploding for 31 points while getting it done on the other end of the floor as well. 

The first half saw the Dolphins consistently battle from behind. Despite trailing by as many as 15 points, CMSV did enough to stay within striking distance. Senior DJ Tucker scored eight first half points, with fellow starters Haven Smith and Kevin Agyemang combining for nine of their own. The defense did their part in keeping the game close over the first 20 minutes of actions, with the Dolphins forcing the Hawks to shoot just 32% from the floor while causing seven turnovers. 

The Dolphins came out of the break strong, with Agyemang and senior Joshua Cabezudo scoring in the first two possessions to make it a seven point game. From there, CMSV's offense went cold, scoring just four points over the next five minutes of action. 

Mooney called upon his bench to switch things up, with Connor Wein, Sean Goodwin, Gerard Novello, Gurjot Singh and Jalen Lewis looking to change the momentum. The unit did just that, as the team erased a double digit deficit and took the lead at the 9:39 mark. It all started with a Goodwin steal at mid court, who found a trailing Novello who then knocked down a three. After a Hunter miss, Novello kicked it to an open Singh, who converted a three point attempt of his own.

The three point barrage continued, with Wein securing his first triple of his collegiate career before Novello would find his way through the Hawks defense for a layup that got the bench and crowd on their feet. Singh would convert another three point attempt to put the Dolphins up 56-53, firmly swinging the momentum in CMSV's favor. 

The game became a defensive affair for the remainder of the second half. Cabezudo and junior Adrian Rraci kept their team on top with baskets in consecutive possessions, which was followed by a pair of clutch free throws by Novello. With the game tied at 64 and just two seconds on the clock, Cabezudo found his way to the free throw line, securing the victory after knocking down his first attempt. 

Novello led the way for his team with a career-high 11 points off the bench while Agyemang and Tucker combined for 16 of their own. Agyemang and Rraci both paced the Dolphins with seven rebounds each while Goodwin recorded three steals and a pair of blocks. 

The Dolphins will look to keep up their winning ways on the road when they take on Five Towns College on Wednesday.