WATERBURY, Conn. –  A career day for sophomore guard Ta'Quan Williams to the tune of 36 points on 11-for-18 shooting to go along with a 31-point performance and double-double for senior forward Deng Deang on 10-for-18 shooting helped Post University Men's Basketball snap a two-game losing streak and pick up their first conference win of the season on Saturday afternoon in the Drubner Center, 111-100, over the University of Bridgeport. 

THE BASICS

Post University 111, University of Bridgeport 100 

Post University (6-4, 1-1 CACC)

University of Bridgeport (5-4, 1-1 CACC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
It was the Williams and Deang show immediately from the time the two teams tipped off as the sophomore hit a layup 30 seconds into the game which was the first time Post led in a game they would end up never trailing. That basket was the start of a 9-0 run for the Eagles as Deang was responsible for the next seven Post points before junior guard Malikai Delgado's free throw and graduate guard Justin Hendrick's score gave the Purple Knights their first three points of the game.

The closest that Bridgeport would be able to pull within was two points at the 12:56 mark of the first half after a pair of free throws from junior guard Aliou Cisse made it a 14-12 game before Williams immediately responded with a layup and graduate forward Derrick Thomas II made a layup of his own to re-up the lead to six points, 18-12. Nearly halfway through the half, the Eagles took their first double-digit lead of the game with a three-ball from Williams who had 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting heading into the locker room.

Close behind him was Deang as the only other Post scorer in double figures with 12 points on 4-for-9 shooting as the Eagles held a seven-point edge, 50-43, despite a few attempts by the Purple Knights to get back into the contest, but never getting closer than two points on three occasions, including 40-38 with 1:19 left in the opening 20 minutes. 

Shooting at a 61.2% clip overall and making 8-of-12 shots from three-point land (66.7%) in the second half, three straight three-pointers, which included a four-point play for Deang, helped the Eagles start the half on a 10-0 run in only the first two minutes to take their largest lead of the contest by 17 points, 60-43.

The lead would remain at double digits for much of the second half until Hendrick's layup with 13:05 to go made it a nine-point game, 70-61, and spurred a brief 4-0 run that cut down Post's lead to seven points, before Williams, Deang, and senior guard Bol Akot came alive for a 9-0 run that put the Eagles ahead by 15 points, 78-63. With under a minute to go, a three from Delgado threatened to give the Purple Knights life down just six, 102-96, but five straight makes from the charity stripe by Post helped them pull away for the 11-point victory, 111-100, to snap their two-game losing streak. 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Ta'Quan Williams led all scorers with 36 points on 11-of-18 shooting while making four threes and hitting 10-of-12 free throws -- The previous high for Williams was 21 points last season against Goldey-Beacom College on February 17th, 2024 
• Deng Deang's double-double was his second of the season after going for 31 points on 10-of-18 shooting as well as hitting 8-of-10 free throws and collecting 10 rebounds 
• Post University moves to 5-0 when leading at halftime this season while remaining 1-4 when trailing at halftime this season 
• Six players for the University of Bridgeport finished in double figures as the Purple Knights were led by Aliou Cisse and Justin Hendrick with 19 points each 

WHO'S NEXT
Post University has a week off before they face Assumption University in their final game of 2024 next Saturday at 3:00 PM. The Eagles have won five of the eight all-time matchups against the Greyhounds including a 75-70 win on the road last season.