HOBOKEN, N.J. (December 30, 2019)  – Senior Dylan Walsh registered his first career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 14 rebounds to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team to a 72-65 victory over No. 13 Johns Hopkins University Monday at Canavan Arena in the championship game of the inaugural Stevens Men's Basketball Holiday Tournament. 

Junior Alec DiPietrantonio posted his fifth straight double-double with 16 points and 11 boards and Spencer Cook added 16 and five for the Ducks, who improved to 9-1. The victory over the 13th-ranked Blue Jays is the highest-ranked opponent defeated by Stevens under 12th-year head coach Bobby Hurley.

Connor Delaney had 16 points and six rebounds for the Blue Jays, who fell to 9-2. It is believed to be the first meeting between the programs.

Known for his defense, Walsh was highly efficient from the floor in the championship game, knocking down six of his eight attempts, including both of his three-pointers. The Staten Island, New York native finished the two-day tournament 9 of 11 from the floor, including a perfect 3 for 3 from behind the arc. Walsh pulled down 21 rebounds over the two games and nabbed three steals, and was a key ingredient of the efforts that held TCNJ's Randall Walko and Delaney off their season averages. For his efforts, Walsh was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. He was also named to the All-Tournament Team, alongside Cook, Delaney, TCNJ's Ryan Jensen and Drew University's Riley Collins.

After holding The College of New Jersey to its worst shooting percentage since late 2016 in the tournament's opening round, the Ducks again rode their defensive efforts to victory. Stevens forced Johns Hopkins into shooting 25 for 72 from the field (34.7%) for the Blue Jays' worst shooting performance of the season. Although Johns Hopkins made seven threes, they required 36 attempts to do (18.7%) and finished with their lowest shooting percentage from behind the arc since Feb. 11, 2017. 

Hopkins' Tom Quarry scored the first basket of the game, soaring above the Ducks' frontcourt for an athletic tip-in of a Harry O'Neil miss. The teams alternated the next series of point, before a Walsh fast-break layup and a pair of Kevin Florio free throws put Stevens up for good midway through the first half. Florio went 4 for 4 from the line and finished with 14 points and a career-high 10 boards for his first career double-double. It's the first time in at least the last 10 years that three Ducks posted a double-double in the same game. Florio, Walsh and DiPietrantonio accounted for 35 of Stevens' season-high 50 rebounds.

After taking a seven-point lead into the intermission, the Ducks answered every Hopkins run in the second half to secure the victory. 

An O'Neill three-pointer drew the guests within six with just under seven minutes to play. After a pair of missed jumpers, Delaney stripped Cook, however Stevens' leading scorer was then run over by the Blue Jays' point guard and drew an offensive foul that returned possession to the Ducks. Freshman Matt Crowley found Cook off the in-bounds pass for a short jumper that pushed Stevens' lead back to eight. The first-year point guard finished with a career-high eight assists.

Stevens pushed its lead back to double figures late in the second half before sinking seven free throws in the final two minutes to secure the victory.

The game was a homecoming for Johns Hopkins' head coach, Josh Loeffler, who spent two seasons in the same role for the Ducks, from 2006-08.

The contest marked the final athletic event of the decade. As a program, the Ducks went 179-92 during the 2010's, including a remarkable 94-33 inside the friendly confines of Canavan Arena. In conference play, Stevens went 99-53 during its tenure in the Skyline and Empire 8 Conference. The Ducks take on Delaware Valley University on Jan. 8 in the team's first game in the MAC Freedom.

Pivotal Point

• Delaney converted a layup to trim Stevens' 12-point lead down to one with just under 14 minutes left in regulation.
• The Ducks sank four straight shots to spark a 12-4 run to reclaim a comfortable nine-point margin.
• Walsh sparked the sequence with a three and four different Ducks had at least one point in stretch that allowed the Ducks to reclaim a comfortable margin.
• The sharp-shooting allowed the Ducks to focus their defensive efforts on the potent Blue Jays attack, as Stevens held Johns Hopkins without a field goal for nearly four minutes.

Inside the Numbers

• Stevens finished 28 for 59 from the field (47.5%) from the floor, including 7 of 19 from behind the arc. The Ducks made exactly 28 shots in each game of the tournament.
• The Ducks won the battle of the boards 50-32, including an 11-10 edge on the offensive glass. Hopkins' 22 defensive rebounds matched a season low.
• DiPietrantonio blocked two shots and has recorded at least one rejection in 12 straight games dating back to last season.
• As a team, Stevens had 15 assists on 28 baskets 
• Each team scored 34 points in the paint and the Ducks held an 11-4 margin in fast-break points. 

Unsung Hero

• Senior Michael Zignorski came off the bench and scored seven points, while pulling down three boards. The Jefferson, New Jersey native finished the tournament +27.

From the Court (Head Coach Bobby Hurley)

• "So happy for our guys tonight. The effort and energy was great and Dylan Walsh set the tone on the defensive end. He was terrific today and I'm happy he was named MVP of the tournament, as he does so much for this team."

Up Next

• Men's Basketball welcomes No. 1 Swarthmore College to campus on Sunday, Jan. 5. It will be the Ducks' third matchup against a nationally-ranked opponent in four games.
• It is believed to be the first meeting between the programs.
• Links for live stats and video are available on StevensDucks.com.

Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics         
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks
#AllRise