HOBOKEN, N.J. – Senior guard Nik Rao (Franklin Park, N.J./Rutgers Prep) saved his best home game for last, scoring a career-high 30 points on Senior Night to lead Stevens Institute of Technology to an 82-51 win over Yeshiva University in a Skyline Conference men’s basketball game on Thursday at the Canavan Arena.
Rao connected on eight of 11 shots from 3-point territory including three straight early in the second half. He came up just one 3-pointer shy of tying his school record of nine.
Stevens (7-17, 7-8 Skyline) had three players finish in double figures – all three seniors. In addition to Rao, forward Eric Stanley (New York, N.Y./Solebury Prep) had 14 points and a game-high nine rebounds and forward Jon Almonte (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) dropped in 11 points and pulled down six rebounds.
Stevens trailed 16-13 with 6:47 left in the first half following a sluggish start. The Ducks then used an 11-0 run in a span of three minutes to take the lead. Four different players scored as Stanley had four and Rao added a 3-pointer. Rao added five points in the 1:49 of the half as the Ducks turned a six-point lead into a 36-25 advantage at the break.
Yeshiva scored the first three points of the second half to pull within eight. But Stevens nailed four straight 3-pointers in a 14-3 run to break the game open. Sophomore guard Pat McCann (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) buried a trey from the top of the key to ignite the Ducks. Rao then followed with three straight 3-pointers and also sank two free throws in a span of 1:50 as Stevens opened up a 52-31 lead at the 15:34 mark. His previous season-high was 17 points against Staten Island on November 23 in the second game of the season.
Yeshiva was led by senior guard Eli Hami who scored 14 points.
Stevens closes out its regular season on Friday, February 21, with an 8 p.m. game at SUNY-Old Westbury. The Ducks open play in the Skyline Conference Tournament on Tuesday, February 25.
