BOX SCORE

IMMACULATA, Pa.- The Immaculata men's basketball team (12-14) was back in the CSAC postseason tournament for the fourth straight season looking to make it back to the semifinals for the second year in a row, but the Neumann Knights (13-13) used a big, early second half run to blow open the game en route to a 66-40 victory that ended the Mighty Macs' season.  Immaculata was hosting a playoff game for the first time in three seasons, but were unable to find an offensive groove as they were 15-for-59 (25.4%) from the floor.  Senior Nelson Torres ended his career by leading the team with nine points.
 
Trailing 25-16 coming out of halftime, the Mighty Macs used a 7-4 spurt to climb within five points at 28-22 with 17:37 to go in the game.  Senior Kendall Peters (five points) and junior Brandon Smith (seven points, five rebounds) provided the offense to highlight the run.
 
From there, Neumann went on a 16-0 run to establish a 22-point advantage at 44-22 with 11:30 to go that all but put the game out of reach.  The Knights were led by Mark Blount (24 points, 11 rebounds) and TaVaune Griffin (11 points, 14 rebounds). Five straight points by Torres put an end to the run.
 
The Mighty Macs attempted to claw back in the game, but never got closer than 16 points.  Smith hit a free throw with just under ten minutes to go to make it 44-28 to cap a 6-0 Immaculata run, but Neumann's Terrance Clark hit a three-pointer to halt the Mighty Mac momentum.
 
A three-pointer by T.J. Klinger (seven points) again cut the lead down to 16, but as they had the entire half, Neumann had an answer for the Mighty Mac threat.  The Knights would ride free throw shooting to the final buzzer.
 
In the first half, both teams struggled offensively as the teams totaled just 41 points in the first half.  The Mighty Macs trailed just 13-9 with 8:51 to go in the half after a traditional three-point play from junior Jerod Cain (three points), but Neumann came back with five straight points to extend the lead back to nine.
 
That's when both teams went on a scoring drought for four minutes before Klinger knocked down a jumper to end the scoreless streak.  The teams would exchange baskets before Klinger hit a base-line jumper as time expired to make it 25-16 at the break.
 
The fourth straight postseason appearance by the men's basketball team is a program record and this was the first loss by the Mighty Macs at home in a playoff game.   They were previously 4-0.
 
NOTES: Smith finished the season with the highest field goal percentage in Immaculata history at 60.6% … Torres finished with the fourth most assists in a season in Immaculata history with 67.