WATERBURY, Conn. – It was another tough shooting day for Post University Men's Basketball at home in the first half as the Eagles continue to be mired in a slump that has seen them shooting around just 30% in the opening 20 minutes in each of the last five games they have played. On Saturday against Molloy, Post would overcome a 27.7% shooting first half, responding with a near-50% second half to earn their 12^th win of the season over the Lions, 77-70.

THE BASICS

RV/#24/21 Post University 77, Molloy University 70

RV/#24/21 Post University (12-2)

Molloy University (2-14)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Making just nine field goals in the first half and going 2-for-19 from beyond the arc, the Eagles would find themselves trailing for a majority of the first 20 minutes. Their last lead would come with 12:54 to go when they jumped in front 12-11, that would be their second lead of the half and largest as well to that point in the game. But the Lions would be unable to pull away in the affair either as they shot just 10-of-33 from the floor (30.3%) and led by only four heading into the break, 28-24.
 
At the half, junior forward Deng Deang and freshman point guard Ta'Quan Williams had eight points apiece, tying for the team lead. Freshman guard Bryce Merchant led the way for the Lions with seven first half points and both teams nearly matched each other in the turnover category with Post having 10 to Molloy's nine. The 10 Eagle turnovers would result in nine points for the Lions compared to just four for Post on nine turnovers.
 
Molloy threatened to take control at the start of the second half, scoring three straight points on free throws to take a 31-24 lead, which would be their largest lead of the game. Still though, the Eagles would trail for the first six minutes of the half until graduate forward Harrison Warnock started to get hot. Warnock, who scored 15 points in the second half en route to his season and career-high 17-point day, would hit a layup and then a three to tie the game at 39 with 13:19 to go. From there, junior guard Quest Harris gave Post their first lead since 12-11 with his layup at the 12:59 mark before a back-and-forth battle would ensue.
 
In a game that saw eight ties and 11 lead changes, neither team would let the other out of sight as the teams fought their way to the finish line. A 5-0 run from junior point guard Robert Sanders and a jumper by senior forward Derrick Thomas II gave the Eagles their largest lead of the game, 61-56, with 4:53 left in regulation. An ensuing 7-0 run from the Lions led by five points from freshman guard Rob Matos turned the tables on the game as Molloy hopped back ahead by two with 3:58 to go.
 
Once again, the Eagles would answer with a run of their own as Warnock tacked on his third three of the day followed by five straight points from Deang which included a turnaround three that beat the shot clock. Firmly in control by six now, junior point guard Bol Akot solidified the Post lead after forcing a steal and hitting a pair of free throws to cap the run at 10 straight points.
Down the stretch, Post would make 6-of-8 free throws starting with the two from Akot, nailing down the 77-70 come-from-behind victory over Molloy. In all, the Eagles would go 26-for-68 from the field, 8-for-31 from three with a 6-for-12 second half performance from long range, and 17-for-25 finish from the free throw line in the win.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Deng Deang had his 13^th game in double figures as he tied for the team-lead in points at 17 on 7-of-13 shooting
• With 17 points on the day, Harrison Warnock tied his career-high while setting a new season-high mark today – Warnock was 7-of-10 from the floor and 3-for-5 from long range
• Moving to 12-2 on the year, Post University continues to have their best start in program history through 14 games with that mark
• With 53 points in the second half, Post University had their most points for a single half this season – The previous high for points in a single half was 52 points in the first half against Dominican (N.Y.)

WHO'S NEXT
Post University will look to snap their three-game losing streak in the head-to-head matchup against Caldwell University back at the Drubner Center on Wednesday night at 7:30 PM. In each of those three losses, the Cougars have won by five points or less and coming into this year fresh off an NCAA Tournament appearance last season.