ORANGEBURG, N.Y. -- Senior guard Melvin Evans (Bronx, N.Y.) and senior forward DeAngelo Horn (Detroit) scored 18 points each and freshman forward Terence Thompson (Rochester, N.Y.) registered a double-double with 17 points and 16 rebounds, pacing Caldwell men's basketball in a 78-71 triumph at Dominican in a CACC matchup at the Hennessy Center on Tuesday night.

In a tight first half, neither team led by more than three until the Chargers went up, 24-19, with 8:26 left. Two straight layups by sophomore guard Jaryn Bull (Bronx, N.Y.) and one by Evans sandwiched around a DUNY free throw tied the game at 25, and later consecutive layins by Evans gave CU its first lead since the midway point of the half at 29-27 with just over five minutes to play.

Then Thompson led a Cougars burst, with a thunderous dunk, three pointer and blocked shot over at two-minute span that helped CU take at 34-30 lead that led to a 37-34 halftime advantage.

Caldwell kept the advantage over the first 10 minutes of the second half, going ahead, 54-48, on a traditional three point play by junior guard Isaiah Philbert (Bronx, N.Y.) with just over 11 minutes left. A Horn layup put CU up briefly by eight, their largest lead to date, midway through the period.

Piercing through the DUNY press, the Cougars extended to a 61-50 lead with a 5-0 spurt finished by a Horn traditional three with 9:30 left.

After the Cougars (9-12 overall, 7-7 CACC) took their largest lead at 65-52, DUNY (8-13, 5-8) scored nine straight to get back to within four at 65-61 with 5:49 to play.

But two Evans free throws broke the Chargers' run, igniting a 6-0 skein that put CU back ahead by double digits, 71-61, with 3:15 to play, and the Cougars finished strong with an Evans free throw, layup by junior guard Todd Rochelle (Laurelton, N.Y.) and exclamation point dunk by Thompson to seal the win.

Evans, who added six rebounds, five assists, a steal and two blocked shots, now has 990 career points, 25th all-time in school history and 13th in CU's NCAA era (2003-present).

Koi D. Kirk's game-high 21 points led the Chargers.

Caldwell next visits Wilmington on Saturday at 2 p.m.