NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Four Falcons scored in double-digits for the Albertus Magnus College men's basketball team in a 76-62 triumph over in-state Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) rival University of Saint Joseph's (Conn.) to extend the team's win streak to six on Saturday. Albertus dismantaled the Blue Jays 71-game GNAC regular season win streak for its first win against the visitors since the conference championship game on February 26, 2023, where USJ was ranked No. 1 following a 26-0 record going into the final game.

Ray Ford, Jr. (Jersey City, N.J.) led all scorers with 27 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Jayquan Kirkland (Stratford, Conn.) went 4-for-8 from long-range en route to 18 points, while Ta'zhon Daniels (New Haven, Conn.) recorded 13 and Avery Hinnant (Naugatuck, Conn.) posted a perfect 4-for-4 in the paint for 10 points.

THE BASICS

FINAL: Albertus Magnus 76 | University of Saint Joseph's (Conn.) 62

RECORDS: Albertus (13-9, 9-2 GNAC) | USJ (15-6, 9-1 GNAC)

BOX

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Falcons took the early lead, holding a 7-3 edge at the 15:18 mark of the opening half. Daniels opened the contest with driving layup off a Blue Jays tunrover 14 seconds in. Ford connected for back-to-back buckets to extend the hosts lead by four.
• USJ responded with an 10-4 stretch, fueled by back-to-back three-pointers from Kevin Cummings to take a 13-11 lead with 12:14 on the first-half clock.
• Albertus fired back, using a 15-3 run to retake the lead, 26-17, at the 3:38 mark. Kirkland sent the ball soaring from behind the arc on three consecutive occassions, followed by a jumper to go up 22-17. Kevin Crawford (Bridgeport, Conn.) padded the lead with a freebie, quickly followed by Crawford nabbing the offensive rebound off his missed free throw to set up yet another Kirkland three.
• The Blue Jays continued to struggle shooting the ball the rest of the half, as the Falcons held a 28-19 lead at the break. Kirkland's jumpshot at 2:53 closed out the scoring for either team going into halftime.
• The two sides traded buckets to open the second stanza, including eight-straight fom Ford, Jr. off a pair of three-point jumpers and a two-pointer at 6:36 for the 38-25 edge.
• Cummings closed the gap to seven, 45-38, after a triple at the 12:16 mark, but Albertus answered with a 9-2 stretch, to increase its lead 54-40, and force a USJ timeout with 9:52 left to play. Hinnant had a dunk and a layup during the run.
• Following the timeout, Ford Jr. took a trip to the line and added to Albertus' lead, 56-40, for the largest lead of the matchup.
• USJ would be able to close the gap back to single digits, as a 6-2 run, capped off by two free throws from Adelphe Cisse, saw the visitors trail, 66-57, with 2:33 on the clock.
• However, the Falcons would not let the Blue Jays get any closer, as the home team secured the victory, 76-62.

TEAM STATS

Albertus

41.0 FG% | 40.9 3PT% | 68.0 FT% 

USJ

35.3 FG% | 50.0 3PT% | 76.9 FT%

LEADERS

Albertus

Ray Ford, Jr. 27 Points | 5 Rebounds | 9-14 FG | 4-8 3PT | 3 Assists | 5-6 FT

Ta'zhon Daniels 13 Points | 6 Assists | 7-8 FT | 4 Steals | 1 Block | 1 Rebound

Jayquan Kirkland 18 Points | 2 Rebounds | 4-8 3PT | 1 Block | 7-12 FG

Avery Hinnant 10 Points | 5 Blocks | 5 Rebounds | 4-4 FG | 2-3 FT

USJ

Friedrich Feldrappe 12 Points | 13 Rebounds | 2 Assists | 2 Blocks | 1 Steal | 4-6 FG | 2-2 FT | 2-3 3PT

Kevin Cummings 14 Points | 2 Rebounds | 1 Assist | 1 Steal | 4-6 3PT

NOTEWORTHY

• Ford, Jr. has scored in double digits in 10 of his last 11 games.

UP NEXT

Albertus heads to GNAC foe Anna Maria College on Wednesday, February 12 for a 5 p.m. tip-off.