HOBOKEN, N.J. (November 20, 2009) – Senior guard George Greco scored 16 points and dished out 10 assists and senior forward Matt Higgins poured in a team-high 19 points to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team to a 73-56 win over King's College in the opening game of the 2009-10 Stevens Tip-Off Tournament at the Canavan Arena on Friday night in Hoboken, N.J. Sophomore forward Simon Smith had nine points and eight boards as the Ducks did not relinquish the lead the entire night.
Higgins scored the game's first bucket on a fast break after the tip, and Stevens was able to slowly build its lead over the first nine-plus minutes of game time.
Leading 17-13 with 10:25 to play in the first, the Ducks went on a 10-4 spurt to help build their first double-digit lead of the game. Greco and freshman Russ Thompson buried triples and Higgins hit a pair of jumpers, both assisted by Greco, as Stevens was able to extend its lead to 27-17 with 4:40 left.
After the two teams traded baskets, Stevens got a jumper from freshman Sheldon Jones and a three-ball from Thompson to take a 36-22 lead and eventually went into the locker room with a 36-24 edge and all of the momentum. Stevens shot extremely well in the first half, going 16-for-27 from the field, and 3-for-8 from long range. The Ducks also outscored the Monarchs (0-2) 12-6 in the paint.
The Ducks increased their lead to 16 early in the second half thanks to jumpers by Higgins and senior Ian Masone, but King's was able to fight back and cut the lead to nine with 17:49 left after junior Kevin Conroy (Chatham, N.J.) converted a pair of free throws.
Senior Mike Wagner (Shickshinny, Pa.) stuck a three for King's to get the lead back into single digits after the Ducks had pushed it back to 12, but Stevens was able to come right back and pad its lead with a 7-0 run over the next 3:46 to go up 18 with 11:47 remaining.
King's, however, would not quit, and chipped away until it was 58-50 with 4:07 showing on the clock following a Will Acevedo (Levittown, Pa.) made free throw. That would be the closest the Monarchs could get as Stevens always seemed to have the answer. Greco answered immediately with a layup, and after a missed three, Smith converted on the other end to make it 62-50 with 3:17 left.
Conroy was able to get the lead back down to 10 with a little under two minutes to play, but sophomore Mike Cutri scored on a put back and Greco sealed the game with a three moments later.
Stevens finished the contest shooting 54.7 percent from the floor (29-of-53) and 10-of-14 from the charity stripe (71.4 percent) as the Ducks hit nine of their 12 attempts from the line in the second half. Stevens finished with 21 assists and 17 turnovers.
In addition to Smith, Greco, and Higgins, Jones finished with eight points and five boards and Thompson had seven points and a pair of rebounds.
Conroy poured in a game-high 25 for King's who shot 41.3 percent for the game. He was the only Monarch in double figures.
The Ducks will return to the hardwood on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. when they host Babson College in the final game of the Stevens Tip-Off Tournament. King's will play Babson on Saturday at 4 p.m. Both contests will be at the Canavan Arena.
