HOBOKEN, N.J. (November 23, 2021)  – Graduate student Alec DiPietrantonio and first-year Jack Spellman each posted a double-double as the Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team led wire-to-wire in defeating Baruch College 83-75 Tuesday in a non-conference tilt at Canavan Arena.

DiPietrantonio shot an efficient 9 for 12 from the field and made his only free throw attempt to finish with a game-high 19 points. He also pulled down a career-high 20 rebounds for the Ducks, who earned their first victory of the season to improve to 1-3. The Ocean City, New Jersey native pulled down seven offensive rebounds and 13 on the defensive glass to finish with the post rebounds in a game since alumnus Patrick Sabatino pulled down 20 in an Empire 8 Conference semifinal victory over Utica College on Feb. 22, 2013. For his career, DiPietrantonio has 687 rebounds. The double-double was the second straight for DiPietrantonio, who pushed his career total to 28.

In his first collegiate start, Spellman finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds to record the first double-double of his career. It marked the first time since the Ducks' victory over the-No. 13 Johns Hopkins on Dec. 30, 2019, that more than one Duck posted a double-double. 

CUNYAC Preseason Player of the Year Adnan Bajrami led Baruch with 19 points and six rebounds. The Bearcats saw their two-game winning streak come to an end in falling to 3-2. Stevens has won the last three meetings between the teams and nine of the last 10.

DiPietrantonio asserted his presence on the offensive glass, scoring on a tip-in of a Conor Coffey miss on the Ducks' second possession of the game. Stevens would build a seven-point lead after a Spellman layup and a long three from graduate student Matt LaCorte. LaCorte finished with four threes as the Ducks made eight of their 20 attempts (40%) from behind the arc. All totaled, Stevens finished with five players in double figures.

Holding an 11-point lead at halftime, the Ducks little time in getting the offense going in the second half. Junior Matt Crowley sank a jumper on the Ducks' first possession of the second stanza as Stevens made four of their first six attempts in the second half. Stevens would open as much as a 17-point lead in the frame. Baruch would claw their way back into the contest only for the Ducks to secure the win with clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch.

Stevens finished with 15 offensive rebounds, which led to 19 second-chance points. The Bearcats pulled down 11 offensive boards, but could only convert them into seven second-chance points. 

As Stevens built its lead, perhaps the most impressive stat of the evening was the Ducks' performance on the free throw line. The Ducks made nine of their 11 free throws (a season-high 82%). Coffey and sophomore Mike Goodall combined to shoot 4 for 4 from the line in the final 30 seconds to seal the victory.

Pivotal Point

• A three-point play by Baruch's Mohamed Gueye trimmed the Ducks' lead to five with just under five minutes left in regulation. 
• The Ducks came back down the court and junior Conor Coffey hit a long jumper to push the advantage back to seven. The Monroe, New York native finished with 15 points.
• Gueye missed a short jumper and DiPietrantonio scored another tip-in basket to push the lead back to a comfortable nine points. 

Inside the Numbers

• Stevens outshot Baruch 46.5%-40%. The margin was even greater in the second half, where the Ducks shot 15 for 31 (48.4%) from the floor, while holding the Bearcats to 36.4.
• The Ducks finished with a 50-34 advantage in rebounds.
• Stevens turned 12 Baruch turnovers into 12 points.
• Crowley dished out a game-high five assists, helping Stevens amass a season-high 17 helpers.

Unsung Hero

• Goodall came off the bench to score 10 points and dish out two assists.

From the Court - Head Coach Bobby Hurley

• "We had a great effort tonight. Offensively, we moved the ball and had some really good possessions. I thought we rebounded the ball pretty well and we were able to get out in transition and push the pace. It was a good result heading into the break, but Rutgers-Newark presents another tough test on Sunday."

Up Next

• Men's Basketball closes out its longest homestand of the season against Rutgers-Newark on Nov. 28.
• Stevens beat the Scarlet Raiders 62-58 on Dec. 1, 2019 in the last meeting between the teams.
• Live stats and video links are available on StevensDucks.com.

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