ORANGEBURG, N.Y. -- Junior guard Melvin Evans (Bronx, N.Y.) had a career-best 23 points as Caldwell men's basketball dropped a 74-67 verdict to CACC North leader Dominican at the Hennessey Center on Tuesday night.

Dominican (13-6, 8-1 CACC) jumped out to a 21-6 lead in the first half, before a 10-2 run started by consecutive layups by Evans pulled CU back to within seven at 23-16. After the Chargers went back up by double digits, a late push by CU, paced by the second of two three-pointers by freshman guard Tristan Rogers (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and a jumper by junior forward Moussa Ngom (Dakar, Senegal), helped the visitors finish the period on a 7-0 run to trail, 33-26, at the intermission.

CU (12-7, 4-4) kept it up into the second half, netting seven of the first nine points to get to within 35-33 five minutes in. The Chargers maintained a one-to-two possession lead for the next six minutes, before six straight points extended the hosts' lead to 56-48 with 7:43 to play. Caldwell would get no closer than six the rest of the way as DUNY closed it out.

Ngom finished with a team-best nine rebounds. Junior forward DeAngelo Horn (Castle Rock, Colo) had eight boards and a team-high four steals.

The Cougars continue CACC play against Goldey-Beacom on Saturday at the Newman Center. Tip off is 3 p.m.