SPRINGFIELD, Mass.-- Sophomore Darnell Evans' (Amityville, N.Y.) poured in a career-high 42 points and added five rebounds and junior Mark Heber (Paterson, N.J.) added a season-best 20, leading Caldwell men's basketball to a come-from-behind, 100-92 win at American International on Sunday at Henry A. Butova Gymnasium.

AIC led by as many as 14 in the first half, peaking at 30-16 midway through. Caldwell (4-1) chipped away, getting the deficit down to seven by halftime, then starting the second half on an 18-11 run to tie the game at 61 with 14:19 left. The teams traded leads several times over the next 10 minutes, the Cougars extending to a six-point lead at 75-69 with 9:25 left on a free thrown and two baskets by Evans. 

After the Yellow Jackets (3-3) regained the lead for the last time at 82-81 with 5:21 left, the Cougars finished strong. Still ahead, 89-86, with 2:28 left, freshman Jaiden Williams (New York) had maybe the key sequence of the game, blocking an AIC shot, gathering the rebound and eventually getting an offensive rebound on the ensuing possession and converting the layup for a five-point edge with 1:05 to go. The Cougars made nine of 10 free throws in the last 0:51 to secure the victory.

Junior Derrick Bueno (Palisades Park, N.J.) posted 1-0 points and four rebounds, soph Kirk Parsons (Newark, N.J.) had nine and Williams added eight. Moussa Ngom (Centreville, Va.) led CU with six rebounds.

Evans made 15 of 25 shots from the floor, including three of four from three-point range, as the Cougars were an efficient 34-of-63 (54%) from the floor, 6 of 10 from three and 26 of 31 (83.9%) from the line in the victory.

Caldwell next visits Felician in the CACC opener on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Rutherford, N.J.)