NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Behind four double-digit scorers, including a season-high 16 points from Kevin Crawford (Bridgeport, Conn.), the Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team earned its eighth win of the season after defeating the Cadets of Norwich University by a score of 85-55 Sunday afternoon in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tilt.

Along with Crawford, Tyreek Perkins (New Haven, Conn.), Isaiah Lewis (New Haven, Conn.) and Terry Dawkins (Bronx, N.Y.) also scored in double-digits for the Falcons. Perkins finished with 13 points, while Lewis and Dawkins posted 12 and 10 points, respectively.

THE BASICS
Final: Albertus Magnus 85 | Norwich 55
Records: Albertus Magnus (8-3, 6-1 GNAC) | Norwich (9-7, 4-4 GNAC)
Box Score

HOW IT HAPPENED

Albertus and Norwich came out to play this afternoon as both teams battled offensively for the lead, going through two ties until Norwich found themselves up five, 12-7, following a 5-0 run, forcing Albertus to call a timeout at the 14:48 mark. 

Out of the break, Albertus found its rhythm, rallying off seven straight points to regain the lead, 14-12, but Norwich's Kohlby Murray hit a deep three to break up the run, 15-14, and return the lead back to the visitors. From there, both teams valiantly fought through three ties and six lead changes, before a layup from Dawkins ignited a 10-2 run that gave the Falcons an eight-point cushion, 32-24, with 4:05 left in the first. 

Over the final minutes of the first half, Norwich trimmed the deficit down to three, 32-29, but Albertus would head into the locker room with the six-point advantage, 37-31, behind four points from Perkins and two from Saikwon Williams (Norwalk, Conn.).

Albertus came out of its locker room ready to play, opening the second half with a 9-6 run to increase its lead to nine, 46-37, forcing Norwich to call a timeout to regroup. The short break did not deter the Falcons offensively as they went on to score nine unanswered points to take a commanding 20-point lead, 57-37, forcing Norwich to call another timeout with 14:29 left in regulation.

Norwich broke its scoreless drought shortly after on a made basket from Samuel-Noah Osarenkhoe and a free throw from Jaydon Cousin, but a 19-2 burst, capped by a three-pointer from Isaiah Lewis (New Haven, Conn.), pushed the Falcons' lead to 33, 76-43, with 6:02 remaining. Norwich countered the Falcons rally with a 12-6 run, but it wasn't enough as the Cadets headed into the final minute trailing by 27 and lost by a final score of 85-55.

TEAM STATS

• Albertus: 42.3% FG | 26.3% 3PT | 73.7% FT
• Norwich : 39.6% FG | 30% 3PT | 64.7% FT

KEY PERFORMERS
Albertus:

• Kevin Crawford -  16 points (7-15 FG, 1-3 3PT, 1-1 FT) | 2  steals | 1 block 
• Tyreek Perkins - 13 points (4-11FG, 2-3 3PT, 3-4 FT) | 5 rebounds | 5 assists | 3 steals
• Isaiah Lewis -  12 points (4-9 FG, 2-6 3PT, 2-2 FT) | 5 rebounds | 4 assists | 1 steal 
• Terry Dawkins - 10 points (4-7 FG,  2-3 FT) | 7 rebounds | 3 assists | 1 steal 

Norwich:

• Samuel-Noah Osarenkhoe -  15 points (5-8 FG, 3-5 3PT, 2-2 FT) |  4 rebounds 
• Kyle Booth - 11 points (5-9 FG, 1-3 3PT) |  8 rebounds |  2  steals | 1 block 

NOTEWORTHY

• Today's game marks the 39th all-time meeting between the Falcons and Cadets.
• After today's game, Albertus owns a 27-12 lead in the all-time series against the Cadets.
• The Falcons posted a season-low in turnovers with eight.
• Crawford scored a season-high 16 points. 
• Perkins recorded his sixth straight game of 10+ points, and his 10th 10+ point game of the season. 
• Dawkins is averaging 15.6 points per game over his last three games. 

UP NEXT
The men's basketball team will take a short break from GNAC play for a home bout against Connecticut College on Monday, Jan. 24. The opening tipoff of the non-conference matchup is slated for 7 p.m.