CALDWELL, N.J.- The Caldwell University men's basketball team had five players score in double figures as they defeated Concordia College 86-71 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference contest.
 
The Cougars improve to 5-7 and 2-1 in the CACC, while the Clippers drop to 4-7 and 0-4 in conference play.
 
Caldwell scored the first six points of the game led by four points from sophomore Ruud Lutterman (Gorinchem, Netherlands). Concordia rallied back as they took a 12-10 lead with 13:19 left in the first half.
 
The Cougars answered with a 19-8 run over the next seven minutes and they pulled ahead by nine points late in the half. Sophomore Zay Jennings (Allentown, Pa.) drained a triple in the run, while sophomore Ned Ogoemesim (Westampton, N.J.) also connected on a three-pointer. Sophomore Vaughn Covington (Sicklerville, N.J.) capped the run with one from the downtown to put the Cougars in front 29-20 with 5:37 left in the half.
 
The Clippers rallied back down the stretch as they took a 35-32 lead with under a minute to play in the half. Junior Ahmad Harrison (Newark, N.J.) drained a pair of free throws in the final minute as Caldwell trailed 35-34 at halftime.
 
The teams battled to start the second half as Concordia drained a triple to take a 47-45 lead at the 14:34 mark. Caldwell rallied back with a 17-7 run over a four-minute stretch to put them back in the lead. Jennings drained a triple to put the Cougars back in front and added three free throws in the run. Sophomore Eric Johnson-Alford (Clifton, N.J.) added six points in the rally. Senior Derek Dorn (New Rochelle, N.Y.) capped the run with a free throw midway through the half for a 62-54 lead.
 
Concordia closed the gap to three points with just over five minutes to play in the game. Jennings and Covington earned converted key three-point play to help Caldwell extend their lead to seven points. The Cougars headed to the line down the stretch with Lutterman, Harrison, Jennings, Johnson-Alford and Dorn each draining two free throws over the final 1:08 to secure the win.
 
Lutterman posted 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, while Jennings chipped in 16 points, four boards and two assists. Johnson-Alford added 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks, while Covington finished with 11 points and three assists. Dorn totaled 10 points, three rebounds and two assists.  
 
The Cougars return to action with their last game in the 2017 calendar year as they travel to Nyack College for a CACC clash on Saturday, December 30 at 3 pm.