Box Score

GRANTHAM, Pa.- Sophomore James Willis scored a career-high 22 points and senior Matt Simon dished out a program-record nine assists as the Immaculata men's basketball team (1-2) defeated Mount St. Vincent (1-2) by a score of 83-70 in the consolation game of the TownPlace Suites Tip-Off Tournament hosted by Messiah College.
 
Willis came up huge for the Macs as he went 10-for-13 from the field, 2-for-4 from three point range to score a career-high 22.  Simon nearly had the first triple-double in IU history as he knocked down four three-pointers en route to 14 points to go along with the program record nine assists, while chipping in with a team-high eight rebounds.
 
Senior Roy Ferrell Jr. (5 assists) and sophomore Mike Piekarski each had 11 points.
 
The Macs were 31-for-69 (44.9%) from the field in their best shooting effort of the season.
 
IU trailed 5-2 out of the gates, but quickly went on a 13-3 spurt to take a seven point lead just a little more than two minutes later.  Willis and Simon accounted for the first five before freshman Josh Singleton (career-high 9 points) scored four straight.  Willis then knocked down a pair of jumpers to cap the run that put IU in front for good.
 
Midway through the first half, the lead got up to eight points at 24-16 as Willis poured in six straight.
 
Mt. St. Vincent would whittle the lead down to four at 24-20 with 8:38 to go in the first half, but the Macs would hold the opponent without a field goal for six minutes and build up a 15-point lead with a 12-1 run.  Willis and Simon buried triples to key the spurt.  The Macs would take a 44-32 lead into the locker room behind 24 bench points.
 
Mt. St. Vincent again trimmed the lead to single digits at 51-42 four minutes into the second half, but Simon quickly ended the run with a three-pointer to push the lead back into double digits.
 
They again got it back down to eight, their closest of the second half with 7:54 remaining, but a 16-6 IU run over the next five minutes put the Macs comfortably in front 77-59 on their way to the 83-70 win.
 
The Macs will now host Widener on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Alumnae Hall.