BOX SCORE

IMMACULATA, Pa.-The Immaculata men's basketball team (4-4, 3-0 CSAC) raced out to a 20-3 lead after nine minutes to build an advantage they would not relinquish in a 76-59 victory over the visiting Cairn University Highlanders (1-6, 0-4 CSAC) at Alumnae Hall.  Freshman Tyreek Peeples put together his highest scoring output of his career with 20 points on 6-of-8 three-point shooting to lead the Mighty Macs to their fourth consecutive victory.  Senior Nelson Torres had another solid effort with 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
After a Cairn free throw cut the Immaculata lead to 5-3 with four minutes gone in the game, the Mighty Macs ripped off a 15-0 run that would prove insurmountable for the rest of the game.  Junior Adam Jones (8 points) had six of the points, including a fast break dunk that set the tone early.  Junior Brandon Smith had two layups during the run as part of a 10-point, four rebound night.
 
The run finally came to a halt when Cairn hit their first field goal of the game with 10:55 remaining as Charles Hopkins drained a three to trim the Immaculata lead to 20-6 midway through the first half.  The Highlanders started the game 0-for-9 from the field, which was part of a 37 percent shooting night.
 
Starting with the Hopkins three, Cairn went on a 9-2 run to get within ten after a Seth Heinicke layup (28 points).  However, the Mighty Macs had an answer in the form of Torres who hit back-to-back lay-ups to slow the Highlander momentum and swell the Mighty Mac lead back to 14 points with seven minutes to go in the first half.
 
The teams continued to trade buckets in the waning moments of the first half until Heinicke finished off a traditional three-point play to cut the score to 35-28 with just under two minutes to play.  That's when Peeples drilled his fourth triple of the first half to keep Immaculata up by double digits.  The Mighty Macs carried a 40-28 advantage into the locker room after shooting almost 59 percent in the first half.
 
In the second half, the Highlanders never got closer than they were at the break as Peeples opened the second half the same way he finished the first by drilling a three to make it 43-28 out of the gate.  Heinicke did everything he could to keep his team in the game, but Immaculata kept applying pressure and getting contributions from everybody.  The lead swelled to 59-37 after senior Kendall Peters had a put back lay-up with 11:35 remaining.
 
From there, the Highlanders cut it to 16 with just under seven minutes to go, but Peeples was there with another three-ball to ensure a Mighty Mac victory.  Immaculata rode the big lead the rest of the way and finished off their third straight conference win by a score of 76-59.
 
Immaculata had 12 different scorers in the game and shot just under 51 percent from the field.
 
Immaculata will now head into finals week and will not play until December 19 at 8 p.m. when they host non-conference opponent Montclair State.
 
NOTES: Immaculata is now 9-0 in program history against Cairn/Philadelphia Biblical College…The 3-0 start extends the Mighty Macs best opening to a CSAC season…The 76-point total ties the previous season-high which the team set in their first win of the season over Penn State-Berks…The 59 points allowed is the fewest by the Mighty Macs thus far this season…Senior Nelson Torres moved into second place on the all-time rebounds list at 426 total for his career, passing Rob Siter…He now trails only Kyle Finklea who has 471 for his career…Immaculata has not trailed in three of their four victories…Their only comeback win was this past Wednesday over Cabrini…The Mighty  Macs last won back-to-back home games last season on November 28^th over Cairn and December 3^rd over Centenary.