Stories & Highlights
2008-09  season

Lightning Strikes Again as Devils Fall (2/19/09)

For the second time in nine days, the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team could not overcome a strong second half by the Lightning of Goldey Beacom College as the Devils lost for the sixth straight time, 63-41 at the Joseph West Jones Center in Wilmington, Delaware Thursday night.

The loss drops the Devils record to 7-18 overall and 5-9 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Goldey Beacom improves to 12-13 overall and 7-7 in league playing, moving into a tie for second place with idle Holy Family University. The Devils drop into a tie for the fourth and final playoff slot in the south division with Chestnut Hill College, who also did not play last night.

Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep HS/Port Norris, N.J.) led the Devils with 13 points and ten rebounds. Frazier made six of nine shots from the field. Sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, Pa.) contributed nine points (3-9 FG, 1-5 3FG. 2-3 FT) while freshman Myer Messinger (Dallas HS/Trucksville, Pa.) added eight points (3-5 FG, 2-3 FT) off the bench. Sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) led the Devils with three assists while adding four rebounds and four points (0-9 FG, 4-6 FT).

The Lightning were led by Kyle White's 18 points (8-11 FG, 2-3 3FG). Sam McDuffie added ten points (5-9 FG), six rebounds and five steals. Adrian Miles led GBC with five assists.

The Lightning trailed in the early minutes of the game, 11-2 after a lay-up by Frazier before triggering a 19-6 flourish, capped by a White triple, to gain a 21-17 advantage at the 8:20 mark. A three-pointer by Beaman tied the game at 25-25 only to have GBC's Azeez Ellegood nail a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to make the score 28-25 at the break. The lead was still three early in the second when Goldey embarked on a 23-6 rampage to open up a 53-33 divide on a lay-up by McDuffie with 5:24 left. Beaman made two free throws on USP's next possession to cut the lead to 18 but could pull no closer as the Lightning increased the bulge to 26 points, 63-37 with 1:29 left before USP added a pair of layups to make the final score 63-41.

As in their first meeting, the second half proved to be the Devils undoing as they made just five field goals (in 21 attempts, 23.8%) while the Lightning made 14 of 24 (58.3%), leading to a 56.3% effort (27-48) over the entire 40 minutes for the victors. The Devils finished the game shooting 33.3% (15-45). USP was also just 9-20 (45%) from the free throw line while GBC was 4-8. The Devils dominated on the boards, 36-25 but that could not overcome 19 turnovers and their shooting efforts.

USP returns to action on Saturday, February 21, 2009 when they travel north to Rutherford, New Jersey to take on Felician College in a CACC crossover game. Tip off will be approximately 6:00 p.m.

Comeback Rally Falls Short as Devils Lose to Firebirds (2/14/09)

A late rally by the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men’s basketball team fell just short of achieving a victory as the Devils dropped their fourth straight game, losing to the University of the District of Columbia Firebirds 57-54 Saturday afternoon in Washington D.C.

The loss drops the Devils record to 7-17 overall. The Firebirds improve to10-14.

Sophomores Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, N.J.) and Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) led USP with 22 and 11 points respectively. Beaman connected on seven of 13 shots from the field, including a 4-for-6 effort from three-point range, and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Adefemi was 5-17 from the field with a free throw. Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep/Port Norris, N.J.) led the Devils with eight rebounds along with seven from Adefemi. Seniors Mark Concannon (Cardinal O’Hara HS/Springfield, Pa.) and Brendan Rutledge (Hopewell Valley Central HS/Ewing Twp., N.J.) accounted four all of USP’s assists with two apiece. Concannon also had two steals.

Tim Ellison and Kechan Myers were high scorers for UDC with 18 and 17 points respectively. Chris Leach led the Firebirds with seven rebounds while Myers accounted for nearly all of UDC’s assists, recording three of their five total.

USP had the early lead 5-3 before a 9-0 run by UDC put the Firebirds on top by seven 12-5. The Devils cut the gap to one before the Firebirds pushed the lead back up to seven again at the break 25-18.

In the second half, UDC increased their lead to 10, 38-28 seven minutes into the period and still led by eight 46-38 when the Devils began to chip away at the Firebirds’ lead. Five straight points from Beaman cut the lead down to three 46-43 before UDC got a 3-ball from Justin Smith to double their lead to six. Beaman answered with another ‘trey’ and the lead was back to three. After a layup from Myers, Frazier sank two free throws and Rutledge converted on a hook shot in the paint to cut UDC’s lead to one 51-50 with 3:41 left. Both teams exchanged points before Myers made a big layup-plus-one to give UDC a four point lead 56-52 with 19 seconds left. Concannon’s layup with six seconds left made the score 56-54. UDC’s Ryan Wood was immediately fouled and went to the free throw line, making the first before Ellison committed a lane violation to give the Devils the ball with 3.8 seconds left and a chance to tie. Beaman’s three-point shot at the buzzer however fell way short and the Firebirds hung on for the 57-54 win.

Shooting wise, UDC had the slight advantage, making 22 of 52 shots (42.3) to USP’s 20 of 51 (39.2%). The Devils did make six of nine (66.7%) three-point shots while UDC was 5-14 (35.7%). UDC was a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line while USP made just eight of 14 (57.1%). The Devils held a slight advantage on the boards 31-26 and committed one less turnover (12/13).

The Devils return to action on Thursday, February 19, 2009 when they travel south to take on Goldey-Beacom College in a CACC south clash that could have playoff implications for both teams. Tip off is set for 3:00 p.m. Stay Tuned!!!

Devils Fail to Survive Second Half Burst of Lightning (2/10/09)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team could not overcome a solid second half by the Lightning of Goldey Beacom College as they lost for the second straight time, 70-49 in their final regular season game at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

The loss, USP's worst defeat at home this season, puts both teams into a tie for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference south division with identical 5-7 records. The Devils are now 7-15 overall and the Lightning are 9-13 overall.

GBC's Azeez Ellegood struck for 15 of his game high 25 points in the second half as the Lightning put on a show, outplaying the Devils in every aspect of the game. Ellegood got support from Sam McDuffie (9 points) and a trio of players with eight points, Adrian Miles, Kyle White, and Anthony Parham. Troy Esquillen led GBC with eight rebounds while White dished out a game high seven assists. Miles and McDuffie accounted for 2/3 of the Lightning's 15 steals with five apiece.

The Devils were led by sophomore Adewale Adefemi's (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) 11 points and seven rebounds. 'Wale connected on five of nine shots from the field. Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep HS/Port Norris, N.J.) added ten points (5-10 FG). Sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, Pa.) led the Devils with four assists.

The Lightning struck for a 14-2 advantage in the first half before the Devils countered with a 16-2 run to take their first and only lead of the game, 18-16. Senior Mark Concannon (Cardinal O'Hara HS/Springfield, Pa.) started the rally with a pair of free throws and later hit the game tying three-point field goal. A dunk by junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep HS/North Grosvenordale, Conn.) completed the run. GBC's Jon Crawford follwed with a 3FG to put the Lightning back on top 19-18. Adefemi's layup later tied the score at 24-24 before the Lightning sank two baskets to make the score 28-24 at the break.

Adefemi made a traditional three point play to open the second half scoring and pull the Devils within one, 28-27 before the Lightning struck, again...and again...and again. Over the next 5:28 the Devils were outscored 16-2, giving Goldey Beacom a 15-point lead 44-29. The Lightning connected on six of eight shots from the field during this stretch, taking advantage of five USP turnovers. Less than two minutes later Adefemi pulled the Devils within 11, 46-35 with 11:55 left. Goldey Beacom then scored on their next three possessions, triggering a 15-4 spurt which gave the Lightning a 63-39 lead and put the game out of reach with 6:01 left. By this time, USP had emptied their bench. Goldey would follow with just one minute remaining. Four free throws by the Devils in the final minute made the final score 70-49. The 21-point defeat was the Devils worst loss to Goldey Beacom since the 1958-59 season (76-54 loss) and their worst home conference loss since losing by 28 to Felician last season.

The Lightning shot 60% in the second half (12-20) and finished the game making 23 of 47 shots (48.9%) from the field. The Devils made 19 of 45 for the game (42.2%) but were outshot from long distance making just two of 12 while Goldey Beacom made eight of 13. The Lightning were also a perfect 16-16 from the free throw line while the Devils made just nine of 12. GBC had a slight advantage on the boards 27-24 and took advantage of 24 USP turnovers (lading to 31 points). GBC committed just 18 turnovers (leading to 14 USP points).

The Devils return to action on Thursday, February 12, 2009 when they face CACC South Division leader Philadelphia University in East Falls. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.

Buzzer Beater Sends Devils to Defeat (2/7/09)

Caldwell College's Matt Cohen sank a 16 foot jumper at the buzzer to send the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team to their second straight defeat, 53-51 Saturday at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

The loss drops the Devils to 7-14 overall and 5-6 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Caldwell improves to 10-10 overall and 7-3 in league games. The Devils are now in a three-way tie for second place in the CACC south Division with Holy Family University and Chestnut Hill College.

Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep HS/Port Norris, N.J.) led the Devils with 19 points (8-12 FG, 2-3 FT). Sophomores Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, Pa.) and Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) added 14 and 10 points respectively. Junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep HS/North Grosvenordale, Conn.) led USP with seven rebounds. Adefemi dished out a team-high five assists. Beaman also had four steals.

Malcolm Austin came off the bench to lead the Cougars with 12 points (4-7 FG, 3-5 3FG, 1-1 FT). Dante Rollins added 10 points (4-9 FG, 2-6 3FG). Peter Diffley contributed nine points while 5'10" guard Eddie Crockett led all players with eight rebounds and five assists.

The Devils, who had trailed by one at the break, 26-25, took the lead on the opening basket of the second half as part of a 14-6 run in the first 7:28 which saw them increase their lead to seven 39-32. Caldwell followed with an 11-4 spurt to tie the game at 43-43 with 7:31 left. Frazier's layup with 5:05 left put the Devils back on top 47-46 before a 3-ball and a layup by Rollins gave the Cougars a four point lead 51-47. Adefemi came back with two layups to tie the game at 51-51 with 36.2 seconds left. After a couple of timeouts and a non shooting USP foul (only their fifth of the period), Caldwell's Carl Augustin missed a three point attempt and the Devils had the ball back with 4.2 seconds left. Augustin made up for it, however on the ensuing inbounds, as he tipped the inbounds pass from USP's Fitch into the air and then into the hands of Matt Cohen who took a couple of dribbles and drained the jumper at the buzzer for the win. It was Cohen's only shot of the game.

Statistically speaking, both teams were nearly even. The Devils made 21 of 51 shots (41.2%) while Caldwell made 20 of 44 (45.5%). The Cougars held a big advantage with eight three-pointers to USP's one, while the Devils made eight of 12 free throws to Caldwell's five of six. Both teams had 28 rebounds. The Cougars did commit 20 turnovers (13 assists) while the Devils had just 13 (10 assists).

The Devils return to action on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 as they host Goldey Beacom College at the Bobby Morgan Arena. It will be senior night for the Devils with the festivities and game set to start around 8:00 p.m.

Griffins Snap Devils' Win Streak (2/5/09)

Chestnut Hill College made their first nine shots of the game as they held off a late rally from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team to snap the Devils' four game winning streak with a 67-65 win Thursday evening at Sorgenti Arena on Chestnut Hill's campus.

The loss drops the Devils record to 7-13 overall and 5-5 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Chestnut Hill improves to 5-16 overall and 4-6 in league play. USP remains in a second place tie with Holy Family University in the CACC south division standings.

Sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) led three USP players in double figures with 15 points (5-9 FG, 5-6 FT). Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep HS/Port Norris, N.J.) added 12 points and had a game-high seven rebounds. Senior Mark Concannon (Cardinal O'Hara HS/Springfield, Pa.) recorded a career-high 11 points (4-5 FG, 3-4 3FG). Adefemi also led the Devils with four assists.

Chestnut Hill was led by Ryan Cook's 16 points (7-9 FG, 2-4 3FG), five rebounds and six assists. Dan Comas and David Goode each added 13 points to help the Griffins cause.

It was nine straight made shots in the opening six minutes of play that set the tone for the Griffins as they jumped out to a 22-9 lead. The Devils cut the lead to single digits twice in the period before the Griffins built the lead back up to 13, 38-25 with 2:52 left. The Devils scored the final eight points of the period to pull within five at the break, 38-25. Chestnut Hill made 16 of 22 shots in the half (72.7%) while the Devils made 14 of 32 shots (43.8%).

The Devils rallied to tie the score in the second half with an 8-3 run to knot things up at 41-41, getting a short jumper from Concannon, a layup from Frazier and a layup and two free throws from sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, Pa.). The Griffins countered with 11 straight points to go back up by double-digits 52-41 with 13:33 left before USP senior Shane Connor (Pocono Mountain East HS/Canadensis, Pa.) broke the run with a three-point field goal. A three-pointer by CHC's Goode put the Griffins back up by 10, 63-53 with 4:32 left before the Devils made one final push. Adefemi made a pair of free throws to cut the lead down to five 65-50 with 2:43 left and Goode countered with a dunk to make the score 67-60. Frazier added a layup and Connor another 3-ball to pull the Devils within two with 1:06 left. The Griffins then wound the clock down with a couple of missed shots and an offensive rebound, giving the Devils one last chance with 4.4 seconds left. USP pushed the ball up and got it into the hands of Connor whose three-point attempt hit iron and bounced out as the buzzer sounded, giving the Griffins the two-point win, 67-65.

Chestnut Hill shot a season-best 62% from the field and limited the Devils to 41% overall. USP was able to stay in the game thanks to more foul shots (11-14 to 2-4), a dominance in the rebounding department (31-23, including 19-7 on the offensive glass) and points off turnovers (24-12). Both teams did manage more assists than miscues (CHC 18/17, USP 15/12) and fared well from beyond the arc (CHC 7-14, USP 6-13).

USP returns to action on Saturday, February 7, 2009 when they host Caldwell College at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 3:00 p.m.

Devils Complete Season Sweep of Tigers (2/3/09)

Adewale Adefemi scored 15 of his game high 23 points in the second half as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team rallied to defeat cross-town rival Holy Family University 54-43 Tuesday evening at the Bobby Morgan Arena in University City.

The Devils improve to 7-12 overall with the win and up their record in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games to 5-4 to take over second place from the Tigers in the CACC South. The Tigers fall to 6-15 overall and 5-5 in CACC games, dropping to third place. The win was USP's fourth straight triumph - their longest winning streak since they won four in a row in the 2005-06 season.

Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.), a sophomore forward, connected on nine of 18 shots from the field made five of seven from the free throw line to lead all scorers with 23 points. Adewale also pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds to record his fourth consecutive double-double. Sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, Pa.) joined Adefemi in double figures with 13 points, including a 7-8 effort from the free throw line. Junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep HS/North Grosvenordale, Conn.) added ten rebounds and seven points while senior Mark Concannon (Cardinal O'Hara HS/Springfield, Pa.) contributed six points and led the Devils with two assists. Beaman recorded four steals.

Ceazar Johnson led the Tigers with 13 points and seven rebounds while Justin Swidowski added ten points, seven boards and three blocks. Quincy Marshall had three assists and two steals.

The Tigers jumped out to a seven point lead 14-7 midway through the opening period before the Devils rallied, tying the score at 17-17 with 3:59 left. Holy Family then scored the next seven points to go back up by seven 24-17 with just 1:24 left in the period. Adefemi then converted a layup and Concannon hit a short jumper at the buzzer to pull the Devils within three at the break 24-21.

In the second half, the Devils took their first lead of the game, outscoring the Tigers 12-2 over the first 8:08 to lead by seven, 33-26. Adefemi had ten of the Devils 12 points during the run. After both teams exchanged baskets, the Tigers used a 9-3 spurt to pull back within one 38-37 with 8:10 left. USP still led by one, 42-41 with 4:55 left before closing out the period with another 12-2 run to put the game in the win column. After senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep HS/Port Norris, N.J.) made a layup with 1:49 left, the Devils converted eight of ten free throws down the stretch while the Tigers missed six straight shots before Johnson made a layup to close out the scoring.

Both teams struggled mightily from the floor (HFU 32.6%, USP 31.5%), from distance (HFU 2-16, USP 0-5) and in the assist-turnover categories (combined 13/30). The Devils distanced themselves from the Tigers with more opportunities at the line (20-26 to 11-15) and a dominant 45-30 showing on the backboards (16-5 on the offensive end). For the Devils, the game ended a streak of 38 consecutive games where they made at least one three point field goal.

USP returns to action on Thursday, February 5, 2009 when they face CACC south division rival Chestnut Hill College on the road. USP defeated the Griffins 51-49 a week ago at the Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.

Devils Win Third Straight Game (1/31/09)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team placed three players in double figures as they won their third straight Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Saturday afternoon with a 62-52 triumph over Dominican College at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

The Devils improve to 6-12 overall and 4-4 in CACC games. They remain in third place, 1/2 game behind Holy Family University (5-4) in the CACC South Division. Dominican falls to 8-12 overall and 3-6 in league play.

Sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, Pa.) led all scorers with 17 points (5-14 FG, 3-6 3FG, 4-6 FT). Fellow sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) recorded his third consecutive double-double with 15 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep HS/North Grosvenordale, Conn.), playing in only the first half with a sore knee, added 11 points. Adefemi also led the Devils with four assists. Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep HS/Port Norris, N.J.) (six points, nine rebounds) had four steals.

Damien Davis was the only Dominican player in double figures, scoring 13 points and also led the team with three assists and three steals. Abdul Sulaiman led the team with six rebounds while Henry Elegar added five. Mike Calzonetti came off the bench to score seven points for the Chargers.

After the Chargers cut an eight point USP lead to two by the break, 25-23, DC came out and took their first lead of the game 28-27 on a Davis trey at the 17:57 mark. The Devils followed with seven straight points in the next 90 seconds to lead by six 34-28 before DC's Brendan McManus added a 3-ball some three minutes later to make the score 34-31 with 13:51 remaining. The Devils then embarked on a 17-3 run to take control of the game and lead by 17, 51-34 with 7:19 left in the game, limiting the Chargers to just three free throws (0-7 FG) over the six minutes-plus time span. Adefemi started the run with a layup plus free throw for a traditional three point play and Beaman ended it with a three-point field goal. The Chargers made one final charge over the next five minutes, outscoring the Devils 10-2 to pull within nine 53-44 with 2:13 left with Calzonetti getting the last five points of the run. Neither team scored on their next two possessions before the Chargers started fouling to put the Devils, who had made just eight of 18 free throws up to this point at the line. USP made seven of ten free throws in the final 1:21 with senior Mark Concannon (Cardinal O'Hara HS/Springfield, Pa.) making five of six from the line to finish the game with seven points, equally his career high. Freshman Myer Messinger (Dallas HS/Trucksville, Pa.) rounded out the scoring for the Devils with a breakaway dunk with 16 seconds left and Marquis Reddick had a layup for the Chargers with four ticks left on the clock to make the final score 62-52.

The Devils finished the game with an impressive 51.2% shooting effort, making 22 of 43 shots from the field. However, USP struggled from the free throw line, making just 15 of 28 shots (53.6%). USP was also 3-for-8 from three point ranges. The Chargers made just 18 of 63 shots from the field (28.6%) but shot a highly respectable 12-for-14 (85.7%) from the charity stripe. DC was also just 4-for-24 from beyond the arc (16.7%). The Devils held a solid 43-30 advantage on the boards but committed 21 turnovers to DC's 15.

USP returns to action in a pivotal CACC Southern Division matchup on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 as they take on Holy Family University at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.

Devils Get by Griffins (1/27/09)

A layup by Adewale Adefemi and a free throw by Tramar Beaman proved to be the difference as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team won a nail-biter over Chestnut Hill College Tuesday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena, 51-49.

The Devils improve to 5-12 overall and 3-4 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games and move into third place, one game behind second place Holy Family University (4-4) in the win column and even in the loss column. The Griffins fall to 5-12 overall and 3-4 in league games.

The sophomore Beaman and senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep HS/Port Norris, N.J.) led the Devils with 14 points apiece. Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) , a sophomore forward, recorded his second consecutive double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. He also added three steals on the night. Beaman led the Devils with four assists and grabbed six boards.

Kevin Whaley was the lone Chestnut Hill player in double figures, scoring 14 points. David Goode added nine points and 12 rebounds.

A wild second half started with the Devils leading 32-27. The final 20 minutes saw six lead changes and five ties. CHC's Dan Comas had given the Griffins a 47-46 lead with 2:44 left before Adefemi hit a short jumper to put the Devils back on top 48-47 with 2:21 left. After a miss by the Griffins, Adefemi added a layup with 1:22 left to put the Devils up by three 50-47. Goode followed with a dunk to make it a one-point game 50-49 with 57 seconds left. After the Devils failed to add to their point total, the Griffins got the ball back and called timeout with 22 second left. CHC's Julian McFadden then tried to penetrate off the right baseline and was called for an offensive foul with four seconds remaining, setting up a wild scenario for the final seconds.

The Devils inbounded the ball to Beaman who was fouled by Cook with 3.3 seconds left. The officials indicated one-and-one; Tramar missed the first shot and CHC got the rebound and promptly called timeout. After some discussion at the scorers table it was determined that the foul that sent Beaman to the line was indeed the Griffins' tenth team foul and he was awarded another free throw with 3.0 seconds left on the clock. Beaman made the free throw to make the score 51-49 and the Griffins were unable to get a shot off as time expired, giving the Devils their second consecutive win.

In the opening half, the Devils jumped out to an 11-5 lead and built the margin to as high as nine, 28-19 with 2:44 left in the period before the Griffins closed out the first 20 minutes with and 8-4 run to pull within five at the break, 32-27. Five minutes into the second half, the Griffins completed a 10-4 run to take their first lead since the 13:31 mark of the first half, 37-36. From that point on the lead was never more than three points either way as both teams battled until the final buzzer.

For the game, the Devils connected on 20 of 50 shots (3-7 3FG) from the field (40%) and made eight of 14 from the free throw line (57.1%). The Griffins made just 19 of 59 (7-22 3FG) shots from the field (32.1%) and were 4-for-8 (50%) from the charity stripe. CHC had a 37-36 edge on the boards and committed one fewer turnover (12-13).

Next up for the Devils will be a CACC crossover battle against Dominican College at the Bobby Morgan Arena on Saturday, January 31, 2009. tip off is set for 3:00 p.m.

Devils Survive Wildcat Strikes (1/24/09)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Devils survived two second half runs by the Wilmington University Wildcats as they hung on to earn a 63-57 win in Saturday's Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference southern division men's basketball game at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

The win snaps a three game losing streak for the Devils as they improve to 4-12 overall and 2-4 in CACC games. The Wildcats fall to 5-14 overall and 2-6 in league play. The win also moves the Devils out of last place in the CACC South into fourth place, just a half game out of second place in the division.

Sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) led the Devils with 15 points and a game high 12 rebounds. Joining Adefemi in double figures were sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, Pa.) (13 points) and senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep HS/Port Norris, N.J.) (11 points). Frazier also led the Devils with three assists while Beaman notched four steals.

The Wildcats lone player in double figures was Antonio Sherrod who scored 16 points and pulled down a team high nine rebounds.

USP jumped out to as 12-0 lead before Wilmington got their first field goal at the 11:20 mark of the first half. The Devils built the lead to 21-6 with 5:58 left and kept the 15 point margin at the break, 32-17.

Five minutes into the second half, the Devils had their biggest lead of the game as Frazier connected on a driving layup to make the score 40-23. The Wildcats then struck for 12 straight points to turn things around and pull within five, 40-35 with 10:33 remaining. Sherrod had eight of the Wildcats 12 points during their first strike at attempting to take the lead. Frazier followed with three layups while Sherrod mixed in a free throw and the Devils lead was back up to double digits, 46-36 with 7:32 remaining. USP still led by eight, 51-43 with 5:47 left in the game when the Wildcats struck again. This time the lead was nearly gone in 60 seconds as Wilmington scored five straight points to pull within three, 51-48 with 4:41 left.

Beaman boosted the lead back to five 53-48 before Allen Hairston (four points) made one of two free throws and Adefemi turned the ball over almost immediately after grabbing the rebound on the second Hairston free throw, leading to a Brandon Savage layup to make it a two point game, 53-51 at the 3:48 mark. The Devils still led by two, 54-52 when they got a free throw from senior Mark Concannon (Cardinal O'Hara HS/Springfield, Pa.) and layups from junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep HS/North Grosvenordale, Conn.) (nine points) and Beaman to got back up by seven , 59-52 with one minute remaining. A traditional three point play by Sherrod cut the lead back down to four 59-55 with 43 seconds left. Beaman went 1-for-2 from the free throw line and Kevin Cooper scored on a layup off a missed three-pointer to put the Wildcats back within one possession, 60-57 with 33 seconds left. The Devils then shut the Wildcats down and made three of four free throws in the final 16 seconds to seal the win, 63-57.

For the game the Devils connected on 24 of 52 shots from the field (46.2%) including an 11-for-21 effort (52.4%) in the second half. The Wildcats recovered from a dismal 7-for-24 shooting effort in the first 20 minutes to make 50% (15-30) in the second and finish the game shooting 40.7% (22-54). Both teams were abysmal from the charity stripe with the Wildcats hitting just 11 of 27 (40.7%) and the Devils slightly better (14-29). A total of 49 fouls were called in the game (30 in the second half alone). The Devils held a slight advantage on the boards, out rebounding the Wildcats, 42-36 and committed one more turnover 19 (12 assists) to 18 (5 assists).

Next up for the Devils will be another CACC southern division clash, as USP hosts Chestnut Hill College on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.

Lions Hand Devils Another Loss (1/21/09)

Lincoln University placed three players in double figures as they handed the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men’s basketball team its third consecutive loss, 64-54 Wednesday night at Manuel Rivero Hall in Lincoln University, Pennsylvania.

The loss drops the Devils to 3-12 overall. The Lions improve to 5-11. The win was Lincoln’s first against the Devils since the 1994 season.

Sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) was the lone USP player to reach double figures for the second consecutive game. Adefemi hit six of 13 shots from the field and five of eight from the free throw line for a game-high 17 points. Senior Shane Connor (Pocono Mountain East HS/Canadensis, Pa.) came off the bench to score nine points (3-5 3FG), all in the second half, and sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, Pa.) chipped in eight (4-9 FG). Adefemi also led the team with six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep HS/Port Norris, N.J.) also recorded four assists on the night.

Jabyron Wilson led the Lions with 11 points while Ladaye Johnson and Bryant Leach each chipped in ten. Eugene Smith came off the bench to score nine points and pull down a game-high 12 rebounds. Darren Clark had eight points and six assists.

The Devils led by as many as six early in the first half before the Lions rallied to tie the game at 22-22 with 5:07 left in the period. Lincoln the closed out the half with an 8-2 run to enter the locker room up six, 30-24 at the break.

Lincoln increased the lead to seven in the opening minute of the final stanza before the Devils went on an 11-4 run to tie the game at 36-36 with 13:59 left. Adefemi had seven of USP’s 11 points during this five-minute stretch. Johnson and freshman Myer Messinger (Dallas HS/Trucksville, Pa.) then traded three-point baskets to keep the game tied at 39-all before the Lions roared ahead with a 12-4 outburst and take an eight point lead, 51-43 with 8:41 left. Johnson had seven of Lincoln’s 12 points during the run. Connor then hit the first of his three-pointers to pull the Devils within five, but that would be as close as they would come. Lincoln then scored nine straight points to lead by 14, 60-46 with 3:32 left in the game. Connor hit two more 3-balls to cut the deficit to eight, 60-52 with just 2:20 left before LU’s Leach closed out the scoring with a 3-ball of his own to make the final score 64-54.

USP made ten field goals in each half and finished the game shooting 20-for-45 (44.4%), including a 4-for-13 effort from three-point range. Lincoln doubled the Devils three point output, hitting eight ‘treys’ in 22 shots while make slightly more than half of their shot attempts overall (25-49, 51%). USP made four more free throws (10-6) but were outrebounded 29-26. Lincoln had one more assist (15) than turnovers (14) while the Devils had 14 turnovers and just nine assists on the night.

The Devils return to action on Saturday, January 24, 2009 when the host Wilmington University in a CACC southern division matchup. Tip off is set for 3:00 p.m.

Poor Shooting Dooms Devils (1/19/09)

Poor shooting by the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team sent the Devils down to defeat for a second straight game as they trailed right from the opening tip, losing 55-45 to the University of the District of Columbia Firebirds Monday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

The loss drops the Devils to 3-11 overall. UDC improves to 6-11.

Sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/ Chesilhurst, N.J.) was the lone USP player in double figures despite making just four of 20 shots from the field. Adefemi finished the game with 13 points and eight rebounds. Junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep HS/North Grosvenordale, Conn.) added eight points (4-9 FG) and a team high nine rebounds. Senior Shane Connor (Pocono Mountain East HS/Canadensis, Pa.) came off the bench to score eight points (3-12 FG, 2-7 3FG).

The Firebirds meanwhile placed three players in double figures led by Philadelphia native David Burton's 16 points and 12 rebounds. Tim Ellison added 15 points and Kechan Myers chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds and a game-high four assists.

For the game the Devils made just 17 of 59 shots from the field (28.8%) which included a 7-for-26 (26.9%) effort in the final 20 minutes of play. The Firebirds connected on 20 of 49 shots from the field (40.8%). The Firebirds made 12 of 18 free throws to USP's nine of 17 while the Devils held a 40-39 advantage on the boards. Neither team put up good assist/turnover margin with UDC holding a slight advantage 7 assists/13 turnovers to USP's five and ten.

The Firebirds scored the first five points of the game and never looked back, opening up a 13 point advantage 26-13 with 6:05 left. USP closed out the half with a 10-2 run, getting four points each from Adefemi and Fitch, to cut the gap to five at the break, 28-23.

UDC opened the second half with an 8-2 spurt to go back up by double figures, 36-25 before the Devils ran off seven straight points to pull within four 36-32 with 13:05 left. This would be as close as the Devils would come as the Firebirds scored the next eight points to boost their lead back to 12, 44-32 with 9:12 left in the period. One final run by the Devils cut the deficit in half, 44-38 with 3:56 left only to see UDC score nine straight points to lead by 15 53-38 with just 1:50 left. The Devils finished the half with a 7-2 run to make the final score 55-45.

USP returns to action on Wednesday, January 21st when they travel to face Lincoln University in an area non-conference matchup. Tip off is set for 7:00 p.m.

Free Throws Send Devils Home with a Loss (1/17/09)

Nyack College made six straight free throws in the final minute of play as they came from behind to defeat the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team 71-69 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference matchup in Nyack, New York on Saturday afternoon.

The loss drops the Devils record to 3-10 overall and 1-4 in CACC games. Nyack improves to 5-10 overall and 3-2 in league play.

Sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/ Chesilhurst, N.J.) led the Devils with 24 points, connecting on 10 of 14 field goals attempts (4-4 FT). Sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, N.J.) added 15 points while junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep HS/North Grosvenordale, Conn.) chipped in 13. Adefemi and senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep/Port Norris, N.J.) led the USP with six rebounds apiece. Adefemi also had a team-high six assists.

The Devils outshot the Warriors 53.7% (29-54) to 48% (24-50) but were beaten on the free throw line 16-21 for Nyack to 5-8 for USP. Both teams had 27 rebounds. The Devils had a slightly better assist/turnover margin 18/10 to Nyacks 13/15) and made one fewer three point shot. Nyack's bench outscored USP's 13-2.

Nyack's Valiant Jones led all scorers with 26 points (8-13 FG (2-3's), 8-10 FT). Stedford McLeod added 14 points and James Oyamo chipped in 10. Oyamo led the Warriors with six rebounds along with Andrew Williams' six boards. Jones had eight assists to pace the victors.

Leading throughout the first half and by seven at the break, 34-27, the Devils opened the final 20 minutes of play with a three-pointer from Beaman to go up ten, 37-27. USP still led by 10, 47-37 at the 13:58 mark before the Warriors went on an 11-2 spurt to pull within one, 49-48 at the 10:43 mark, getting a layup from Oyamo, two treys from Jones and three free throws from Jose Lopez. The Devils scored the next six points to go back up by seven 55-48 with 9:28 left but the Warriors again rallied with a 12-5 run to tie the game at 60-60 with 3:55 left. Adefemi put the Devils back up by two with a layup and McLeod tied the game again at 62-62. After Fitch made one of two free throws, McLeod gave the Warriors their first lead of the afternoon with a three-point field goal, making the score 65-63 in favor of the Warriors with 1:57 left. USP senior Mark Concannon (Cardinal O'Hara HS/Springfield, Pa.) countered with a three-pointer of his own to put the Devils back on top 66-65 with just 77 ticks left on the clock. The Warriors then connected on six straight free throws in the final minute to retake the lead and expand it to five, 71-66 as the Devils suddenly could not buy a basket. Beaman's three-point field goal as time was expiring made the final score 71-69.

The Devils return to action on Monday, January 19, 2009 when they host the University of the District of Columbia in a non-conference matchup at the Bobby Morgan Arena. tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.

Devils Snap Losing Streak with Win over Pioneers (1/12/09)

Adewale Adefemi scored 17 points and freshman Myer Messinger poured in a career-high 16 as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak with a 67-45 win over Columbia Union College Monday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena.

USP improves to 3-9 with the win. Columbia Union drops to 1-14.

The sophomore Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/ Chesilhurst, N.J.) came off the bench and connected on eight of 13 shots from the field en route to his game-high 17 points. Messinger (Dallas HS/Trucksville, Pa.) made five of nine shots from the field and was 3-for-6 from the free throw line en route to high career high 16 points. Myer also pulled down a career high eight rebounds. Sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, N.J.) added 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Senior Mark Concannon (Cardinal O'Hara HS/Springfield, Pa.), making his first career collegiate start, led the Devils with four assists (no turnovers) while playing 28 minutes.

The Devils shot 40.6% for the game, making 28 of 69 shots from the field. USP also made just six of 13 shots from the free throw line (46.2%) . The Pioneers were limited to just five field goals in the first half (5-22) and finished the game shooting 29.8% (17-57). CUC also was 6-for-9 from the free throw line. Both teams made five three point field goals. USP held a big advantage on the glass, outrebounding their opponent 52-36 (18-8 on the offensive glass). The Devils also had 15 assists (10 turnovers) to CUC's 11 (14 turnovers).

The Pioneers were led by Shaheem McNair's 17 points (14 in the second half). Mark Moore added 14 points while Andre Hardy led CUC with nine rebounds. McNair added eight boards and four assists.

USP used a 21-2 run to turn a one point lead eight minutes into the game into a 20-point advantage as the half was winding down. Messinger started the run with a three-point field goal, followed by a Beaman layup. CUC's Ade Adetosoye followed with a layup before the Devils ran off 16 straight points to complete the run and lead 27-7 with 1:56 left in the period. Sophomore Omari Phillip (Germantown Friends HS/Elkins Park, Pa.) started things off with a layup, followed by a 3-ball from senior Shane Connor (Pocono Mountain East HS/Canadensis, Pa.). Adefemi and senior Brendan Rutledge (Hopewell Valley Central HS/Ewing Twp., N.J.) then produced layups followed by a dunk by Adefemi. Concannon then added a layup and Messinger closed out the run the way he started it, with a three-point field goal. Two three-point field goals by Moore closed out the half with the Devils leading by 16, 29-13.

The Devils scored the first ten points of the second half to take their biggest lead of the game, 26 points, 39-13. CUC followed with seven straight points, all from McNair to pull within 19, 39-20 with 14:48 left. The Devils boosted their lead back up to 23 and still led by 20, 53-33 with eight minutes left when the Pioneers stepped up the defense and scored five straight points to pull within 15 with 5:57 left which was as close as they would come. The Devils led by 15 59-44 with 2:26 left before closing out the game with an 8-1 run to make the final score 67-45.

USP returns to action on Saturday, January 17, 2009 when they travel north to take on Nyack College in a CACC crossover match. Tip off is set for 3:00 p.m.

Deacons go Downtown to Defeat Devils (1/10/09)

Bloomfield College made nine three-point shots as they cruised to a 71-58 win over the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men’s basketball team Saturday afternoon in Bloomfield New Jersey.

The loss drops the Devils to 2-9 overall and 1-3 in Central Atlantic collegiate conference games. Bloomfield improved to 9-5 overall and remained undefeated in league play with a 4-0 record.

Omari Knox led the attack for the Deacons, connecting on seven of 13 shots from beyond the arc and finishing with a game high 27 points. Gage Daye added 15 points while Chris Sampson chipped in 13. Knox and Robert young led BC with seven rebounds apiece.

Sophomore Adewale Adefemi led the Devils with 18 points. Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep/Port Norris, N.J.) recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Adefemi added nine rebounds. Senior Mark Concannon led the Devils with three assists.

Bloomfield used a 16-2 run in the first half to take control of the game with a 22-8 lead at the midway point of the first half. Six straight points from USP cut the lead to eight 22-14 before the Deacons boosted the margin back up to 13, 29-16 with 6:02 left in the period. UJSP closed out the period with a 7-1 spurt to pull within seven 30-23, getting baskets from Frazier and Adefemi and free throws from sophomore Tramar Beaman and senior Shane Connor.

The Deacons opened the second half with a 7-2 run to go back up by 12, 37-25. USP pulled within ten 39-29 before an 11-2 run put Bloomfield up by 19, 50-31 at the 13:50 mark. Knox scored the final eight points of the BC run, hitting two treys and a 19-foot jumper. The Devils continued to trail and got no closer than 15, 63-48 before Daye and Knox sank three-pointers to give the Deacons their largest lead 69-48 with 4:08 left. The Devils then ran off ten straight points starting with a Beaman trey. Freshman Kyle Flannery followed with a basket and fellow freshman Myer Messenger added a pair of free throws. A Beaman free throw and a Messenger basket ended the run. BC closed out the scoring with two free throws, making the final score 71-58.

For the game the Devils made 21 of 65 shots from the field (32.3%). Bloomfield made 24 of 52 (46.2%). The Deacons were nine of 22 from three point range compared to USP’s 3-for-11 effort. Both teams were about even at the free throw line with the Deacons making 14 of 22 and the Devils 13 of 23. The Devils held a slight advantage on the boards, 43-39 while committing 19 turnovers to BC’s 21.

The Devils return to action on Monday, January 12, 2009 when they host Columbia Union College in a non-conference game. Tip off is set for 7:00 p.m.

Devils Come up Short against Rams (1/8/09)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team shaved a double-digit deficit down to one point in the second half of their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference match up against Philadelphia University but were unable to produce that extra boost to put them over the top as the Rams handed the Devils a 58-53 loss Thursday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena.

The Devils drop to 2-8 overall and 1-2 in CACC games with the loss. The Rams improve to 9-3 overall and 3-0 in league play.

Seniors Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep/Port Norris, N.J.) and Charlie Fritsch (The Hun School (N.J.)/Durham, N.C.) led the Devils with 15 and 11 points respectively. Fellow senior Shane Connor (Pocono Mountain East HS/Canadensis, Pa.) came off the bench to record 10 points while sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, N.J.) added nine. Beaman also led the Devils with a game-high 11 rebounds, while Frazier dished out three assists. The Devils committed a school-record low of only four turnovers in the game, with only one miscue in the second half.

USP's second half ball control and a defensive effort which limited the Rams to just five second half field goals (5-17) kept them in the game. After the Rams went up by 10, 37-27 early in the final stanza, the Devils scored eight straight points on baskets from four different players to pull within two 37-35 at the 14:49 mark. 90 seconds later the Rams were back up by five on a Mike Yocum (14 points) dunk, 42-37. A basket by Frazier and a tip in by senior Brendan Rutledge (Hopewell Valley Central HS/Ewing Twp., N.J.) pulled the Devils within one 42-41 with 10:26 left.

The lead remained at one point until PU's Malcolm Ingram (16 points, eight rebounds) made two pairs of free throws to give the Rams a 46-41 lead with 6:21 left. Mike Dunn's 3-ball (6 points) boosted PU's lead back to eight 49-41 prompting a quick timeout by the Devils. After the timeout the Devils again whittled the deficit down to two points, 53-51, but with just 53 seconds remaining. Both teams exchanged free throws with the pair made by Connor with 16.8 seconds left keeping the game a one-possession contest, 55-53. Russell Frederick (7 points) was fouled and made a pair of free throws with 13 seconds left essentially putting the game away. Yocum added another point from the charity stripe with one tick left on the clock to make the final score 58-53.

For the game, the Devils connected on 21 of 55 shots from the field (38.2%) while the Rams made 19 of 42 (45.2%). Philadelphia had the advantage beyond the arc, making five treys to USP's two and made more free throws 15(of 21) to nine (of 17). The Devils held a 37-30 advantage on the boards (15-5 on the offensive glass). Both teams combined for just 11 turnovers (USP 4, PU- 7) on the night.

The Devils return to action on Saturday, January 10, 2008 when they travel north to face Bloomfield College. Tip off is set for 3 p.m.

Cheyney Rallies to Defeat Devils (12/18/08)

Cheyney University tallied 11 points in the final three minutes as they rallied to defeat the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team 58-51 Wednesday night at Cope Hall, in Cheyney, Pennsylvania.

Cheyney improves to 5-0 with the win while the USP falls to 2-7.

Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep/Port Norris, N.J.) connected on six of 12 shots from the field and added five free throws to lead the Devils with 17 points. Junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep HS/North Grosvenordale, Conn.) made six of seven shots and a pair of free throws for 15 points. Sophomores Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, N.J.) and Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/ Chesilhurst, N.J.) added nine and eight points respectively. Frazier led the Devils with seven rebounds while senior Charlie Fritsch (The Hun School (N.J.)/Durham, N.C.) dished out a game high three assists.

Cheyney was paced by Dominique Curry. Curry made seven of nine shots from the field along with three free throws fro 17 points. He also recorded a game high nine rebounds and five steals. Tyrone Smith added 15 points for the Wolves.

USP and Cheyney missed few shots in the opening minutes of the game with both teams shooting 65% or better throughout the first ten minutes of play. Smith's two free throws tied the game at 15-15 before the Devils put on a 10-2 spurt to take their biggest lead of the game, eight points 25-17 with 7:43 left. Seven of USP's ten points in the run came from Fitch. Cheyney countered with a 9-0 run to retake the lead 26-25 with 3:37 left. Both teams exchanged buckets the rest of the period and the Wolves held a 30-29 lead at the break.

The Devils connected on 11 of 20 shots in the period (55%). Their percentage was the highest shooting percentage that the Wolves had allowed in a half so far this season. The Wolves shot equally well, making 12 of 22 shots (54.5%) from the field.

In the second half, Cheyney expanded their lead to four before a layup by Frazier and a pair of free throws by Fitch tied the game at 34-34 with 14 minutes left. The Wolves then went on a 13-6 run to take their biggest lead of seven 47-40 with 6:50 left in the game. The Devils followed with eight straight points to take a 48-47 lead with 3:15 left, getting baskets from Adefemi, Fitch, Beaman and Frazier. Cheyney then made their final push, outscoring the Devils 11-3 over the last 2:45 to seal the win, limiting the Devils to just a field goal and a free throw.

For the game, the Devils connected on 20 of 43 shots (46.5%) from the field. This was the best shooting percentage an opponent has had against the Wolves so far this season. Cheyney entered the game fifth in the country in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to just 35.9% shooting. Cheyney shot 46.0% (23-50). Percentage wise, the Devils had a slight advantage on the free throw line, making nine of 14 (64.3%) compared to the Wolves 10-for-17 effort (58.8%). both teams finished with identical rebound totals. The Wolves however took advantage of 19 USP turnovers scoring 23 points off the USP miscues.

USP returns to action on Thursday, January 8, 2009 when they host Philadelphia University in a CACC south division game at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.

Second Half Comeback Falls Short as Eagles Best Devils (12/13/08)

A second half rally by the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia fell short as Post University hung on to earn a 55-48 win in a Central atlantic collegiate Conference men's basketball game Saturday afternoon at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

The Devils fall to 2-6 overall and 1-1 in league play with the loss. The Eagles improve to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in CACC games.

Junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep HS/North Grosvenordale, Conn.) and sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, N.J.) helped lead USP's comeback run, combining for 17 points in the final period of play. Fitch finished with a game-high 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting from the field. Beaman was the only other USP player in double figures, notching 14 points. Fitch along with sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/ Chesilhurst, N.J.) led the Devils with eight rebounds.

The Eagles were led by Jesse Iyalekhue and Brandon Romain. Iyalekhue scored 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting and also led Post with eight rebounds while Romain made his first four shots of the game and finished with 11 points (5-14 FG). AJ Reitter added eight points, seven boards and four assists while Omar robinson had seven points and six rebounds. Cecil Stinson also led Post with four assists along with Reitter.

Post led the game by 14 points at the break, 30-24 and started the half with a 6-2 run to boost their lead to 18 points 40-22 at the 15:07 mark. USP then began their rally, going on a 16-6 run to cut the lead to single digits. Baskets by Fitch, sophomore Michael Larkin (Monsignor Farrell/Staten Island, N.Y.) and a trey by Beaman immediately cut the lead from 18 to 11 points. Simon Barnett and Reitter boosted the lead back to 15 before another 3-ball by Beaman and another outside jumper from Fitch made the score 44-34 with 9:18 left. A little over two minutes later, the Devils were within single digits of the Eagles for the first time since the 3:47 mark of the first half, trailing by eight 46-38 with 6:58 left.

Post boosted the lead back up to 12 on a Stinson trey before the Devils rattled off seven straight points to cut the deficit to five 51-46 with 1:37 left, getting baskets from senior Charlie Fritsch (The Hun School (N.J.)/Durham, N.C.), Beaman and a long trey from Fitch. The Devils forced a turnover on Post's next possession and had a chance to cut the deficit to three or less but turned the ball back over to the Eagles who got a layup from Robinson to make the score 53-46. senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep/Port Norris, N.J.) followed with a layup to make the score 53-48 but the Devils, with only four personal fouls to this point had to commit three fouls quickly to put the Eagles at the line. Garvin McAllister sank a a pair of free throws and neither team scored after that making the final score 55-48.

In the opening period, the Devils were within a point of the Eagles, 19-18 with 7:16 left before being outscored 15-2 the rest of the period, giving Post a 34-20 lead at the break. USP shot just 26.5% from the field in the period (9-34) while the Eagles were 15-28 (53.6%).

For the game the Eagles outshot the Devils 45.3% (24-53) to 33.9% (21-62). Neither team went to the foul line many times as the Devils made just three of nine free throws while Post made five of eight. USP held a slight advantage on the boards 41-36 (16-7 on the offensive glass). Both teams had 17 turnovers and 12 assists.

USP returns to action on Wednesday December 17, 2008 when they travel to Cheyney University to take on the Wolves in a non-league regional contest. Tip off is at 7:00 p.m.

Second Half Run Gives Devils a Win (12/07/08)

Tramar Beaman triggered a 17-2 run in the second half, enabling the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team to overcome a six-point deficit to defeat Columbia Union College 68-54 Saturday night at The Pit in Takoma Park, Maryland.

The win improves USP's record to 2-5 overall. Columbia Union falls to 1-6.

The sophomore Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, N.J.), who finished the game with 18 points, started the run early in the second half. USP trailed 29-23 when Beaman connected on a jumper a, three-point basket and then another two-pointer in a span of 79 seconds to give the Devils their first lead since early in the first half. Sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/ Chesilhurst, N.J.) followed with a dunk to make the score 32-29. A Pioneer basket cut the deficit back to one, 32-31 before the Devils reeled off eight straight points to lead 40-31.

Columbia Union however did not go away quietly as they whittled the lead down to two 48-46 with 8:24 left. The Devils then took control and pulled away with a 15-0 spurt to boost the lead into double digits, where it would remain the rest of the way as USP earned their second consecutive road win 68-54.

Beaman connected on seven of 11 shots from the field (5-7 in the second half) and led all scorers with 18 points. Adefemi made seven of eight shots from the field and finished with 15 points. Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep/Port Norris, N.J.) joined Beaman and Adefemi in double figures with 12 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Beaman added seven boards and Adefemi six as the Devils dominated on the glass 38-22. Adefemi and senior Charlie Fritsch (The Hun School (N.J.)/Durham, N.C.) led the Devils with four assists apiece.

The Devils finished the game shooting 58.3% (28-48) from the field. This included a 63% (17-27) effort in the second half. The Pioneers shot just 33.3% (18-54) from the field.

Columbia Union was paced by Mark Moore (14 points, five rebounds) and Jamie Newton (10 points, six assists).

USP returns to action on Saturday, December 13, 2008 when the face Post University at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 3:00 p.m.

Devils Earn First Win of Season (12/3/08)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men’s basketball team started the conference game portion of their schedule on a positive note, earning their first win of the season Wednesday evening, a 65-46 win over Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference rival Holy Family University at the Campus Center in northeast Philadelphia.

USP improves to 1-5 overall and 1-0 in CACC games. Holy Family drops to 1-6 overall and 0-1 in league play. USP’s 19-point victory margin was their largest in a win over the Tigers since the 2003-04 season.

The Devils placed a trio of players in double figures, led by sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, N.J.). Beaman was 6-for-11 from the field (2-3 3fg) and 3-for-5 from the free throw line for a game-high 17 points. Sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) added 14 points and eight rebounds while junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep HS/North Grosvenordale, Conn.) chipped in 12 (6-9 FG). Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep/Port Norris, N.J.) led the Devils with nine rebounds.

Ceazar Johnson led the Tigers with 14 points while Justin Swidowski added 11. Jawara Stephenson led all players with 12 rebounds.

The Devils jumped out to an early 13-5 lead just seven minutes into the game, erasing the Tigers opening minute three-point lead. The Tigers cut the lead to five 16-11 with 5:58 left before a layup and a tip-in by Adefemi boosted USP’s lead to nine, 20-11 at the 3:34 mark. A minute later, a free throw by Tom McKeown pulled the Tigers within six 20-14. The Devils closed out the half with a 10-0 run in the final two minutes to lead by 16 at the break 30-14. Senior Charlie Fritsch (The Hun School (N.J.)/Durham, N.C.) had five of his seven points on the night during the run.

Beaman opened the second half with a pair of free throws to make the score 32-14 before the Tigers went on a 9-2 run to cut the deficit to 11, 34-23 with 16:44 left and pulled within ten, 41-31 at the 10:52 mark. USP kept the lead in double figures the rest of the way, finishing the game with a 10-3 run over the final four minutes to provide the final 19-point margin of victory.

The Devils finished the game shooting 39.3% (22-56) from the field while the Tigers made just 14 of 52 shots (26.9%) from the field, including a 5-for-23 mark (21.7%) in the opening half. USP connected on 19 of 28 free throws (67.9%) while the Tigers made 14 of 18(77.8%). Both teams were about even on the glass with the Tigers holding a 41-40 advantage. The Devils committed only 11 turnovers, balanced out by 11 assists. Holy Family had 19 turnovers (six assists).

USP returns to action on Saturday, December 6, 2008 when they travel to Maryland to face Columbia Union College in Takoma Park. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.

Marauders Hand Devils their Fifth Loss (11/24/08)

Millersville University led wire-to-wire and held off a early second half push by the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team to hand the Devils their fifth straight loss, 71-58 Monday night in Pucillo Gymnasium in Millersville, Pennsylvania.

USP is now 0-5 on the season. Millersville improves to 3-1.

Trailing by eight at the half, the Devils cut the lead in half over the first 5:14 of the final stanza, outscoring the Marauders 11-7. Sophomore Michael Larkin's (Monsignor Farrell/Staten Island, N.Y.) three-pointer made the score 40-36 at the 15:27 mark and after Millersville scored USP freshman Myer Messinger (Dallas HS/Trucksville, Pa.) added a layup to again pull USP within four, 42-38 with 14:46 left. The Marauders then went on a 15-4 run to take their biggest lead of the game 57-42 with 10:59 left. The Devils could pull no closer than 10 points the rest of the way as the Marauders held on to win 71-58.

Sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) led all scorers with 17 points. Junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep/No. Grosvenordale, Conn.) contributed 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds while sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown/Williamstown, N.J.) added 13 points.

Reggie Bates led Millersville with 16 points. Makal Stibbins added 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

The Devils return to action on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 when they open their Central atlantic Collegiate Conference schedule against area rival Holy Family University at their Campus Center in northeast Philadelphia. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.

Devils Drop Fourth Straight Game (11/22/08)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team dropped their fourth straight contest on Saturday, losing to Kutztown University 79-65 at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

USP is now 0-4 to start the season. USP's last 0-4 start came in 2005-06 when the devils dropped their first seven contests to open the season. Kutztown improves to 2-0

The Devils were led by a trio of sophomores with all three reaching double figures, Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.), Tramar Beaman (Williamstown/Williamstown, N.J.) and Michael Larkin (Monsignor Farrell/Staten Island, N.Y.). Adefemi connected on 6-9 shots from the field and finished the game with 13 points. Larkin also added 13 points off the bench on 5-9 shooting from the field (1-3 3FG). Beaman made six of eight shots from the field and finished with 12 points. Adefemi, senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep/Port Norris, N.J.) and junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep/No. Grosvenordale, Conn.) each had four rebounds. Freshman Myer Messinger (Dallas HS/Trucksville, Pa.) and Adefemi led USP with three assists apiece.

Five players reached double figures for the Golden Bears. Stephen Dennis led all scorers with 22 points. Dave Ben added 17 while Andre Woodlin chipped in 14. Ryan Washington and Julius Grey had 10 points apiece. Ben and Washington each had five rebounds apiece as only four different players on the KU squad had any rebounds.

Ben scored a layup off the opening tip before Adefemi and senior Charlie Fritsch (The Hun School (N.J.)/Durham, N.C.) added baskets to give the Devils their first and only lead of the game 4-2. Kutztown outscored USP 16-4 over the next 7:06 to grab a double digit lead 18-8. Less than two minutes later the lead was 13, 23-10. The Devils then went on a 14-5 run, getting four points apiece from Adefemi, Beaman and Larkin and a layup from senior reserve guard Mark Concannon (Cardinal O'Hara HS/Springfield, Pa.) to pull within four 28-24 with 4:46 left. However the Golden Bears closed out the first half with a 15-4 spurt to lead by 15 at the break, 43-28.

KU added a 13-5 run over the first 4:26 of the second half to boost their lead to its largest margin 23, 56-33 with 15:34 left. (a 28-9 over 9:02 split between two periods). USP could get no closer than 12 the rest of the way reaching that point at the 4:22 mark as Frazier, USP's second leading scorer, hit his only field goal of the afternoon to make the score 73-61. Adefemi and Beaman closed out USP's scoring with baskets in the final 1:16 as KU prevailed 79-65.

Both teams shot over 50% with USP having the slight advantage hitting 28 of 50 shots from the field (56%) to KU's 29-for 53( 54.7%) effort. The Golden Bears held a decided advantage from the free throw line connecting on 15 of 19 (78.9%) to USP's 6-for-10 (60%). and made twice as many three-pointers (6-3). USP committed 23 turnovers while dishing out just 13 assists. Kutztown had 14 assists and just 14 turnovers. USP had a 28-24 advantage on the boards.

USP will play their fourth consecutive game against a PSAC opponent on Monday, November 24, 2008 when they travel to face Millersville University. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.

Warriors Deal Devils their Third Straight Loss (11/20/08)

East Stroudsburg University pulled away late in the second half to hand the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men's basketball team their third loss to start the season, 74-65 Thursday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

The Warriors improve to 1-1 on the year while the Devils are now 0-3.

Sophomore Michael Larkin (Monsignor Farrell/Staten Island, N.Y.) led three USP players in double figures, coming off the bench to score 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting from the field and a 3-4 effort from the free throw line. Sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) added 14 points, also shooting 6-10 from the field. Sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown/Williamstown, N.J.) added 10 points. Adefemi and junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep/No. Grosvenordale, Conn. ) led the Devils with eight rebounds apiece.

Chris Bach led the Warriors with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Mike Demarco added 18 points.

ESU led the entire first half until the final minute of play when Larkin's basket gave USP their first lead 33-31. DeMarco's two free throws tied the score at 33-all before the half ended with the game tied.

The Warriors opened the second half with a 16-6 spurt to take a double digit lead 49-39 with 15:20 left. The Devils rallied with 10 straight points to tie the game again at 49-49, getting eight of their 10 points from Adefemi. USP would keep the game close and later take a one-point lead 58-57 on a pair of Beaman free throws with 5:01 left. ESU followed with an 8-1 run over the next 2:29 to lead by six 65-59 with just 2:33 left. Charlie Fritsch's (The Hun School (N.J.)/Durham, N.C.) 3-ball pulled the Devils within three 65-62 with 1:24 left but that would be as close as they would get as the Warriors converted nine of ten free throws in the final 1:08 to defeat their hosts 74-65.

USP did outshoot the Warriors, making 26 of 55 shots from the field (47.3%) while ESU was just 23-57 (40.4%). ESU was 6-for-18 from beyond the three-point arc while USP made just one three-pointer all evening (1-6). The Warriors also held a 22-12 advantage on the free throw line, making 22 of 29 to USP's 12 of 19. ESU held a slight advantage on the boards, 35 and had a better assist/turnover margin (13-18 to USP's 9-19).

USP returns to action on Saturday, November 22, 2008 when they face Kutztown University at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 3:45 p.m. Prior to the start of the game, there will be a ceremony honoring USP's All-Millennium Team as they celebrate 100 years of men's basketball at the institution.

USP Falls to West Chester (11/18/08)

West Chester University launched a long-range aerial assault against the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia Tuesday night, pinning a 76-58 loss on the Devils at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

West Chester improves to 2-1 while the Devils fall to 0-2.

The Golden Rams made 14 of 22 shots from beyond the three point arc (63.6%) and were just 12 of 21(57.1%) from everywhere else for a 26-43 effort (60.5%) from the field on the evening. The Devils meanwhile made just 4 of 12 three point shots and finished the game shooting 45.9% (17-37) from the field. USP also shot just 20 of 33 from the free throw line compared to WCU's 10-for-14 effort. Both teams were negative in the assist/turnover margins with the Golden Rams slightly better (13-16 to USP's 9-18). The Devils outrebounded WCU 23-22.

Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep/Port Norris, N.J.) led the Devils with 16 points and six rebounds. Fellow senior Charlie Fritsch (The Hun School (N.J.)/Durham, N.C.) added 12 points and sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) chipped in nine. Freshman Myer Messinger (Dallas HS/Trucksville, Pa.) led USP with three assists.

Ralph Hegamin and Kehinde Roberts paced the Golden Rams with 20 and 19 points respectively. Kenneth St. George added 16. Roberts led WCU with five boards while St. George dished out four assists.

On the strength of five three-pointers in the first 9:03 the Golden Rams jumped out to a 21-13 lead before the Devils went on a 17-7 run to take their first lead of the game 30-28 with 3:10 left. West Chester closed out the half with three 3-balls en route to a 12-4 spurt to go up by six at the break, 40-34.

The Golden Rams opened the second period with a 15-4 run to boost their lead to 17, 55-38 with 11:50 left. The Devils could pull no closer than 10 the rest of the way as the West Chester long range assault continued to pick apart the USP defense as the Golden Rams cruised home for the 18-point win.

The Devils return to action on Thursday, November 20, 2008 when they host East Stroudsburg University at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.

Yellow Jackets Sting Devils (11/15/08)

American International College used an 18-6 run to open the second half to take control of a close game, going on to defeat the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men’s basketball team 68-54 at Butova Gymnasium in Springfield Massachusetts on Saturday.

USP falls to 0-1 with the loss.

The Devils had led by as many as seven early in the game only to see the Yellow Jackets come back scoring nine points in under a minute to tie the game. Neither team led by more than four the rest of the half which saw four ties and seven lead changes.

Trailing by two to start the second half, the Devils tied the game on a pair of free throws from senior Charlie Fritsch (The Hun School (N.J.)/Durham, N.C.). The Yellow jackets then stung the Devils with an 18-4 spurt to take their biggest lead at the time 48-34. USP could pull no closer than eight the rest of the way as the Yellow Jackets closed out the game with a 10-4 run to win by 14, 68-54.

Sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/Chesilhurst, N.J.) led the Devils with 12 points and eight rebounds. Senior Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep/Port Norris, N.J.) added nine points. Sophomore Tramar Beaman (Williamstown HS/Williamstown, N.J.) led USP with four assists and also pulled down seven rebounds.

The Yellow Jackets put four players in double figures led by Colson Senat’s 15 points off the bench. Lucius Millinder, Isiah Wallace and Sesoo Ikpah each added 12 points. Millinder also had 12 rebounds to lead all players. Mike Troll dished out eight assists.

The Devils return to action on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 when they face West Chester University at the Bobby Morgan arena. Tip off is set for 8:00 p.m.

Devils Picked Fourth in Pre-Season Poll (10/30/08)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men’s basketball team has been picked fourth in the 2008-09 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Pre-Season basketball poll released late Wednesday afternoon. The conference’s 12 head coaches conducted the voting.

USP received 35 votes in the poll behind Holy Family University’s 48. Philadelphia University was predicted to win the Southern Division after garnering 11 of the 12 first-place votes and 70 points. Goldey-Beacom picked up the other first place vote and finished second with 56 points

Caldwell College earned the top spot in the Northern Division, garnering five first place votes and 61 points to edge out Post University (four first place votes, 56 points).

Four starters from last year’s USP squad that went 13-15 overall and 7-9 in league play to qualify for the CACC playoffs for the ninth straight season. The men’s basketball team has also qualified for post season competition in each of the past 26 seasons, dating back to the 1981-82 season.

Seniors Jarrod Frazier (St. Augustine Prep HS/Port Norris, N.J.) and Charlie Fritsch (The Hun School (NJ)/ Durham N.C.) lead the returning starters. Frazier averaged 9.8 points per game while shooting a team-high 48.3% from the field. Jarrod was also the team’s second leading rebounder (7.1/gm.) in 2007-08. Fritsch was second on the team in assists last season while averaging 7.1 points per game.

The team’s leading rebounder last year, sophomore Adewale Adefemi (Winslow Township HS/ Chesilhurst, N.J.) also returns. Adefemi averaged 7.2 rebounds per game to go along with his 10.3 points per game scoring average.

USP’s shot blocking duo of junior Curtis Fitch (Marianapolis Prep HS/North Grosvenordale, Conn.) and senior Brendan Rutledge (Jr., Hopewell Valley Central HS/Ewing Township, N.J.) are also expected to see plenty of minutes on the court. Together the two big men combined for 60 of the Devils 83 blocked shots last season.

Senior Shane Connor (Pocono Mountain East HS/Canadensis, Pa.) will again give the Devils an outside threat. Connor led last years squad with 43 three-point field goals and was amongst the conference leaders in three-point field goal percentage throughout the season.

The Devils open their season at American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts on November 15, 2008.

For the complete poll click: http://www.caccathletics.org/sports/mbkb/2008-09/News/Pre-Poll.10-29-08