PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Caldwell College men's basketball team fell at the University of the Sciences, 58-56, in a tight Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Saturday afternoon at Morgan Arena. The Cougars drop to 9-8 overall and 4-6 in league play, while the Devils improve to 2-12, 1-7 CACC.

USciences got off to a fast start, building a 23-8 lead over the first seven minutes and 25 seconds of the game. Caldwell answered with a 19-4 spree capped by a pair of threes from senior guard Nikola Otovic (Kraljevo, Serbia) to tie the score at 27-27 at the four-minute mark. Junior forward Karel Thuwis (Zonhoven, Belgium/Brehm Prep) and freshman guard Wyatt Polk (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield) each scored four points in the run.

After the Devils took a 33-31 halftime lead, freshman guard Kevin Walker (Bayonne, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) opened the second half with a three-pointer to give the Cougars their first lead of the game. The three started a 13-4 run for Caldwell, which led 44-37 with 12:47 to play. A three-pointer by Alec McClure punctuated the Devils' comeback that put the hosts on top 51-48 with 5:15 remaining. Again the Cougars battled back, getting two free throws from senior center Peter Diffley (Bellerose, NY/Episcopal) and a jumper from senior guard Anthony Gill (New Rochelle, NY/New Rochelle) to lead 52-51 with three minutes on the clock.

USciences took advantage of a pair of missed shots by Caldwell, getting a lay-up from Patrick Connaghan and a conventional three-point play by Henry Messinger to lead 56-52 with 1:15 remaining. Following a pair of free throws from Garret Kerr, Gill drained a three-pointer with 11 seconds left to cut the deficit to two, 58-56. Kerr then missed the front end of a 1-and-1, allowing Otovic to get off one final shot. But his three-point attempt was off the mark, and the Devils held on for their first conference win of the season.

Caldwell committed a season-low eight turnovers while turning 18 USciences' miscues into 18 points. But the Devils held a 43-26 rebounding advantage and scored 15 second-chance points in the game. Gill scored a team-high 10 points for the Cougars, while Otovic had eight points, four boards and four assists. Kerr led all players with 18 points and 19 rebounds.

The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 24, when they host Nyack College. Game time is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. in the George R. Newman Center.