SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Caldwell University men's basketball team prepared for the upcoming season with an exhibition game at Seton Hall University, losing to the Pirates, 96-68 Sunday afternoon at Walsh Gymnasium. Senior forward Michael Balkovic (Neptune, NJ/St. John Vianney) led all players with 20 points.

The Cougars stayed close with the Division I Pirates in the first half, shooting 46.9 percent from the field before halftime. Trailing 28-19, Caldwell used an 18-8 run to take a 37-36 lead with 2:29 remaining in the half. Junior forward Billy McDonald (North Haven, CT/North Haven) and junior guard Salvatore Vitello (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) hit back-to-back threes at the end of the run. Seton Hall scored five of the final seven points of the half to take a 41-39 advantage at the break.

The second half belonged to the Pirates, who opened the period with 10 straight points and never looked back. Seton Hall shot 58.3 percent from the floor in the second half compared to 29.2 percent for Caldwell. Sterling Gibbs scored a team-best 19 points, while Desi Rodriguez had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Pirates.

Balkovic, an all-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference first team selection last season, scored 18 of his 20 points in the first half and grabbed nine rebounds for the game. McDonald added 15 points and eight rebounds, while Vitello had nine points and seven assists. Senior guard Kevin Walker (Bayonne, NJ/St. Peter's Prep), who made the all-CACC third team last year, dished out eight assists to go with six points and two steals.

Caldwell opens the 2014-15 regular season at the Northeast 10 Conference Challenge, hosted by Assumption College Nov. 15-16. The Cougars face the host Greyhounds on Saturday, Nov. 15, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Worcester, Mass.