CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell University men's basketball team shot 64.3 percent from the field in the second half to pull away from Nyack College, 76-65 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Saturday afternoon in the George R. Newman Center. The win is the third in a row for the Cougars, who are now 7-4 overall and 3-1 in the conference. The Warriors drop to 2-7, 1-3 CACC.

A pair of threes from senior guard Kevin Walker (Bayonne, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) helped Caldwell take a 16-7 lead seven minutes into the first half. The lead was still eight, 22-14 at the eight-minute mark when Nyack went on a 13-1 run sparked by two three-pointers from Chris Hampton to take a 27-23 advantage with 3:15 left in the half. A basket by junior forward Billy McDonald (North Haven, CT/North Haven) and free throws from Walker and senior forward Michael Balkovic (Neptune, NJ/St. John Vianney) put the Cougars ahead, 29-27. Nick Moore tied the game with two free throws to make the halftime score 29-29. Caldwell shot 39.1 percent from the floor in the first half while holding the Warriors to 34.6 percent.

The Cougars opened the second half on fire, hitting their first five shots in a 14-6 spree that put Caldwell ahead, 43-35. After Ezra Gaines made a three to cut the lead to four, 46-42 with 12:49 on the clock, the Cougars responded by scoring the next eight points, including six from Balkovic, to lead 54-42 midway through the half. Nyack never came closer than eight points the rest of the way, as Caldwell led by as many as 13 points on the way to its third conference victory in four tries this season.

Caldwell shot 18-of-28 from the field in the second half, missing just five two-point field goal attempts after halftime. The Cougars also were successful from the free throw line, making 19-of-23 for the game.

Balkovic registered his seventh double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds to go with two blocks and two assists. He now ranks second nationally in double-doubles. McDonald shot 9-of-11 from the floor en route to 19 points and eight boards. Walker, who was honored at halftime for reaching the 1,000-point milestone in Caldwell's victory at Division I Binghamton on Monday, tallied 15 points and three steals. Yahmir Greenlee led Nyack with 14 points.

Caldwell hosts Bentley University on Friday, Dec. 19 in a non-conference game. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in the Newman Center.