PHILADELPHIA, Pa.- Caldwell University men's basketball senior Anthony Cooper (Ashburn, Va.) led five players in double digits in points as the Cougars 88-79 loss to regionally ranked Thomas Jefferson University in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference contest.
 
The Cougars fall to 6-9 overall and 2-6 in the CACC, while the Rams improve to 11-4 overall and 7-1 in conference play.
 
The teams traded leads for most of the first half with junior Tyler Washington (Englewood, N.J.) draining a three-pointer in the final seconds to give the Cougars a 36-33 lead at halftime.
 
Washington and Cooper drained triples early in the second half as the Cougars extended their lead to 52-47 at the 12:01 mark. The Rams rallied back to even the score at 56 midway through the half.
 
Caldwell answered with seven straight points as sophomore Jarnel Rancy (Middle Island, N.Y.) scored three points. Thomas Jefferson battled back to pull even at 66 and pushed ahead 74-67 with 2:23 remaining in the game. The Rams drained 12 free throws in the final two minutes to hold their lead down the stretch.
 
Cooper led the way with 20 points and three rebounds, while Rancy tallied 16 points, seven boards and three blocks. Graduate Gerald Blount (Jersey City, N.J.) and freshman Julius Agustsson (Akureyi, Iceland) each scored 12 points with Blount adding five boards. Washington finished with 11 points, three rebounds and three assists.
 
The Cougars travel to Dominican College for a CACC North Division clash on Wednesday, January 26 at 7:30 pm.