PHILADELPHIA, Pa.- The Caldwell University men's basketball team again rallied from a second half deficit for a second straight day to defeat South #1 seed Thomas Jefferson University 72-69 to capture the 2022-23 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Men's Basketball Championship.
 
With the win, the Cougars secure the conference's automatic bid to NCAA Division II Tournament, starting on Saturday, March 11. The NCAA selection show to determine seed and site will be streamed live tonight at 11 pm via ncaa.com with the announcement of the eight regions, including the East Region, where the Cougars will compete in next weekend.
 
Sophomore Derrick Bueno (Palisades Park, N.J.) was named the CACC Tournament MVP, while freshman Darnell Evans (Deer Park, N.Y.) and sophomore Jarnel Rancy (Middle Island, N.Y.) joined Bueno on being named to the CACC All-Tournament Team.
 
Trailing 56-47 with 11:35 remaining in the game, the Cougars stepped up its defense and heated up on offense. Caldwell launched a 14-3 run, highlighted by 10 points from MVP Bueno. He started the run with a three-point play, drained a triple in the run, tied the game at 59 with a lay-up at the 7:27 mark and capped the run with a lay-up with 6:47 on the clock to give the Cougars a 61-59 lead.
 
Thomas Jefferson answered with a run to pull ahead 65-62 with 3:49 remaining in the game. Caldwell battled back with eight straight points and it was again Bueno's time to shine, netting six points, including the go-ahead bucket at the 2:54 mark. Bueno capped the rally with a pair of free throws with 28.8 seconds on the clock to push their lead to 70-65.
 
The Rams did not go quietly, connecting on a triple with 21.0 seconds left in the game to trim the score to three points. The teams traded free throws in the waning seconds with Thomas Jefferson attempting a potential game-tying trifecta that was off the mark as time expired giving the Cougars the title.
 
The Cougars captured their second CACC Tournament title in the NCAA era (2002-present) and their first since the 2006-07 season when they defeated the University of the Sciences on the campus Dominican College (now University).
 
Evans led the way with 23 points, eight rebounds and three assists, while Bueno totaled 22 points and nine boards. Sophomore Mark Heber (Paterson, N.J.) added nine points, three rebounds and three assists, while Rancy posted eight points, six boards, three assists and two blocks.