WATERBURY, Conn. – Junior guard Ta'Quan Williams had eight points in the first three minutes on Saturday afternoon at home for Post University Men's Basketball, finishing the game with a team-high 15 points on 5-for-13 shooting, as another big second-half effort by the visitors, this time in Jefferson University, sunk the Eagles, 83-65. 

THE BASIC

Post University 65, Jefferson University 83

Post University (9-14, 8-7 CACC)

Jefferson University (13-9, 9-6 CACC)


HOW IT HAPPENED
All three of the leads for Post would come within the first three minutes of action, as Williams hit the first basket of the day, making it a 2-0 game, and would go on to score the first eight points that the Eagles had, accounting for all three of those advantages. From there, Jefferson would take over, going on an 11-0 run with three consecutive threes, opening up a 17-8 advantage with 14:03 left in the first half, and would continue to roll into halftime with a 41-32 advantage. The Rams ended up going 15-for-32 from the floor (46.9%), taking half of their shots from three-point range, where they were 9-for-16 (56.3%).

Williams finished out the first half with 10 points, leading Post on 4-for-7 shooting, while senior guard Sean Fullerton also had 10 points for Jefferson on 4-for-6 shooting with two threes made. Fullerton, along with senior guard Isaiah Thomas-McClain, who had nine points on 3-for-7 shooting, led the Rams' offense that led by as many as nine points in the first half, which came after that 11-0 run with 14:03 to go. 

In the second half, Jefferson's lead continued to expand, going up to as many as 19 points, 67-48, with 9:08 left in regulation, as the closest the Eagles would get was to within seven points, 41-34, at the beginning of the frame when junior guard Zion Lott hit a jumper ahead of a quick four-point blitz by junior guard Alex Bates IV and the Rams secured their advantage for the remainder of the affair.

Beyond the 15-point outing by Williams, graduate forward Brody Limiric had 12 points on 4-for-11 shooting as all his shots made from the floor were from three-point range. Graduate forward Derrick Thomas II was the only other double-digit scorer for a Post team that was 23-for-63 (36.5%) from the floor and 11-for-37 (29.7%) from three, with 11 points in the 83-65 defeat. Four players finished in double figures for Jefferson, led by McClain-Thomas' 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, which narrowly outdid a 6-for-10, 14-point day from Fullerton. Graduate forward Matt McCool was perfect from the floor at 6-for-6 with 13 points, and freshman guard Jahmare Memphis had 12 points to round things out for Jefferson.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Ta'Quan Williams had eight points in three minutes to start the game for Post University, finishing the game with 15 points on 5-for-13 shooting
• Matt McCool was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field today for Jefferson University, scoring 13 points in 19 minutes off the bench
• At halftime this season, Post University is 6-1 when leading at halftime, while being 3-12 when trailing and 0-1 when tied
• After beating Jefferson University in back-to-back games last year, Post University has lost its previous two matchups to the Rams by double-digit margins 

 
WHO'S NEXT
With only two home games left in the regular season, Post University has a week off before returning to the court in the Drubner Center next Saturday against Wilmington University at 7:00 PM. The Eagles have won a program-record seven consecutive games against the Wildcats dating back to the 2021-22 season.