CALDWELL, N.J.- Caldwell University men's basketball senior Eric Johnson-Alford (Clifton, N.J.) posted a double-double as the Cougars defeated Post University 84-81 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference contest.
 
The Cougars improve to 5-4 overall and 2-1 in the CACC, while the Eagles fall to 5-3 and 0-1 in conference play.
 
Caldwell scored the first seven points of the game as Johnson-Alford netted four points in the early going. The Cougars opened up a 26-16 lead late in the half following a Johnson-Alford steal and dunk at the 7:31 mark.
 
Post rallied back with 10 straight points to pull even at 26 with 5:34 left in the half. Senior Vaughn Covington (Sicklerville, N.J.) drained a triple to put the Cougars back in front but the Eagles answered to pull ahead 38-32 with 2:29 remaining in the half. Caldwell closed the half on an 8-2 run, powered by six points from sophomore Anthony Cooper (Ashburn, Va.) to even the score at 40 at halftime.
 
The Cougars opened the second half with a 9-3 run to pull ahead by six points. Johnson-Alford netted seven points, including capping the run with a three-point play at the 16:37 mark.
 
Post closed the gap to 49-47 but Caldwell used a 12-2 run to push their lead into double digits. Covington and Cooper netted three-pointers to extend the Cougar lead. Caldwell pulled ahead by as much at 15 points at 65-50 midway through the half. The Eagles trimmed the score down to single digits with under six minutes to play but the Cougars hit seven free throws in the final two minutes to hold of Post.
 
Johnson-Alford scored a career-best 29 points and added 10 rebounds in the win, for his first double-double of the season. He added three assists and two steals. Cooper tallied 16 points and three boards, while Covington finished with 12 points, three boards, five assists and two steals. Senior AJ Kittles (Glassboro, N.J.) totaled 11 points and nine rebounds.
 
The Cougars travel to Bloomfield College for a CACC contest on Saturday, December 14 at 3 pm.