CALDWELL, N.J.- Freshman Ruud Lutterman (Gorinchem, Netherlands) posted his second double-double of the season as the Caldwell University men's basketball team closed out the first half of the season with an 80-64 victory over Pace University.
 
The Cougars improve their record to 9-4 overall, while the Setters drop to 4-10 on the season.
 
In a highly competitive first half, Caldwell held the lead for the majority of the half. The Cougars led by as much as nine points at 29-20 with 4:45 remaining following a pair of free throws by junior Derek Dorn (New Rochelle, N.Y.).
 
The Setters rallied with eight unanswered points to close the gap to 29-28 with 1:33 left in the half. The Cougars netted the final four points of the half as freshman Vaughn Covington (Sicklerville, N.J.) hit two free throws with three seconds on the clock. Dorn finished the half with 12 points as Caldwell led 33-28 at halftime.
 
The Cougars opened the second half on a 10-4 run as Lutterman scored six points to help Caldwell build a 43-32 lead. Pace rallied as they trimmed the score down to five points at 50-45 with 11:35 left in the game.
 
Caldwell pulled away with a game-deciding 17-5 run over the next six minutes. Sophomore Thomas Elliott-Smith (Plymouth, England) scored four points, while senior Austin Woods (Milford, Conn.) chipped in six points. Covington dropped in seven points and capped the run with two free throws to put the Cougars ahead 67-50 with 5:45 left in the game. Caldwell held a double-digit lead for the rest of the game to pick up their ninth victory of the season.
 
Dorn led the Cougars with 20 points and four rebounds. He turned in a big day at the free throw line as he went 12-for-12. Covington chipped in 15 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Lutterman posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Elliott-Smith finished with 10 points and three rebounds, while Woods tallied eight points, eight boards and three blocks. Sophomore Ahmad Harrison (Newark, N.J.) totaled seven points, three rebounds and four steals.
 
The Cougars are back to conference play when the calendar turns to 2017. Caldwell travels to Goldey-Beacom College on Wednesday, January 4 for an 8 pm tip-off against the Lightning in Delaware.