WORCESTER, Mass. – The Assumption University men's basketball team used a 17-0 run in the second half to race past Molloy University 68-54 in non-conference action Friday afternoon.
 
THE BASICS
Score: Assumption University 68, Molloy University 54
Records: Greyhounds (5-5, 3-3 NE10), Lions (1-10, 0-4 ECC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Assumption's offense sprung out of the gate quickly, storming out to an 18-5 lead followed by an 11-0 run as the Molloy offense looked stagnant to start against an active defense from the Greyhounds. It was Njavan Stewart's layup at 11:21 to get the lead up to 13, and the first half would waver at a double-digit lead for the home side. Bobby Connors started to heat up for the Lions, as his three at 3:27 would cut Assumption's lead back down to seven at 25-18. Despite rough shooting from both sides, a couple of baskets at the end would shake out to a ten-point lead at the break in favor of Assumption, 32-22. 
 
Molloy's offense was starting to find a rhythm in the second half, but Assumption exchanged baskets to hold a double-digit lead, as Cooper Creek and Stewart knocked down back-to-back buckets with 13:00 minutes to go to keep Assumption up by 11. The Lion's best player offensively was Connors, who was up to 18 with his turn-around jumper, cutting the Hound's lead to seven. Molloy would get the deficit to as low as five with 8:42 remaining, as Assumption's offense struggled to make shots. With the score at 51-46, the Hounds would fire into a 17-0 run to blow the game open and lead 68-46. The Lions got some offense back at the end, but the late run from the Hounds secured the victory at 68-54.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Daouda Dembele led the way for the Greyhounds with 17 points and eight rebounds, adding two assists, two steals, and one block.
• Cooper Creek (14), Njavan Stewart (13), and Kasey Draper (10) all recorded double-figure points.
• Assumption fired 37 three-pointers, the most since they fired 42 at the University of New Haven on December 6, 2022.
• The Greyhounds outrebounded the Lions 44-41 while recording 19 assists to just five for Molloy.
• Assumption now leads the all-time series 7-1

 
UP NEXT

• AU at Caldwell University, Friday, December 15, 3:30 pm
• MU at SNHU, Saturday, December 16, 3:30 pm

 
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