RADNOR, Pa.- For the first time since the 2011-12 season, the Immaculata men's basketball team will be one of the last four men's basketball teams in the Atlantic East playing in the 2019-20 season as the Macs qualified for the Atlantic East semifinals with a 91-86 victory over fourth-seeded Cabrini on Tuesday evening.
Jordan Ambrose turned in an impressive second-half performance as he finished the game with 26 points to lead six Mighty Macs in double figures in the comeback victory over Cabrini.Â
Brandon McCullough ended the game with 19 while
Tyler Tillery added 16 points of his own.
Asa Kitchen also contributed 14 points while
John McArthur ended his evening with 11 points in the Atlantic East Quarterfinal victory over Cabrini.
Tillery also ended the game with a double-double as the freshman also recorded 12 rebounds (10 defensive rebounds) in addition to his 16-points and two blocks to help lead the Macs on Tuesday evening.
After trading baskets through the opening four minutes of action, the Immaculata men's basketball team went on a 15-6 run over the next four minutes to claim a commanding 21-12 lead with 12 minutes to play in the opening half. Cabrini stormed back to cut the deficit to 21-20 before eventually evening the game at 30-30 with 2:36 to play in the first half. In the final 2:36 of the opening half of basketball, Cabrini outscored its guests 8-4 to carry a 38-34 lead into the halftime break.
In the first half of basketball,
Brandon McCullough led Immaculata in scoring with 13 points while
Tyler Tillery added eight points and
John McArthur added seven points of his own to bolster the Mighty Mac offense. From the field, Immaculata was 12-of-29 while also going 3-of-10 from beyond the arc through the opening 20 minutes of basketball.
To open the second half, Immaculata and Cabrini traded baskets once again through much of the first 10 minutes of the second half as the Cavaliers held a 64-55 lead midway through the second half of basketball. Trailing 66-58 with just 9:31 to play, Immaculata went on an 11-2 run over the next three and a half minutes to close the gap and claim a slim 69-68 lead, which after trading baskets with Cabrini would eventually grow into an 84-80 lead with 1:22 to play in regulation.
Cabrini kept the game close with a layup with 42 seconds remaining, which closed the gap to just two points in the late stages of the fourth quarter.
Jordan Ambrose knocked down a clutch three with just 25 seconds to play, which would give Immaculata an 87-82 lead that the Macs would never relinquish en route to the 91-86 victory over Cabrini on Tuesday evening.
Immaculata shot 46.3 % from the field and 45.8 % from beyond the arc this evening while also shooting 78.3 % from the charity stripe in the victory. Additionally, Immaculata outrebounded its hosts 46-38 en route to the upset victory to open the Atlantic East Tournament.
Keith Blassingale turned in an impressive game for Cabrini ending the night with 25 points of his own in the setback.
Immaculata will make its first Conference Semifinal appearance since the 2011-12 season on Thursday evening on the road at Wesley with that contest set to begin at 7 p.m.
in Dover.
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