Men's Basketball opens Citizens Bank Classic with 78-64 triumph against Connecticut College

Story courtesy of Jason Southard, United States Coast Guard Academy:

NEW LONDON, Conn. - The University of Dallas men's basketball team (2-2) had four players enter double-figures in a 78-64 win Friday evening over Connecticut College in the first round of the Citizens Bank Classic at the Coast Guard Academy. 

Senior forward Tanner Bruffey (Lubbock, Texas) finished with a team-high 16 points.

Dallas led 63-62 with 5:39 left and scored 15 straight to end the game on a 15-2 run.

Sophomore guard Steven Aldaz (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and junior forward Ross Davidson (Dana Point, Calif.) each finished with 11 points. Both were a perfect 3-of-3 from 3-point range, as the Crusaders shot 13-of-20 (65 percent) from behind the arc.

Davidson led the team with nine rebounds, while sophomore guard Kym Malone (Richardson, Texas) led the way with a game-high eight assists.

Junior guard Nate Wilson (Fairbanks, Alaska) added ten points for Dallas in the win.

The Crusaders jumped out to a 19-9 lead with 13:45 left in the opening half, and never trailed at any point during the win. Dallas led 47-41 at halftime.

Connecticut (1-4) junior Matt Vadas led all scorers with 29 points, shooting 6-of-11 from 3-point range while adding six rebounds. Sophomore Bryan Grosse added 11 points in the loss. Freshman Aaron McBurnie led the Camels with seven rebounds.

Dallas was 27-of-51 from the field (52.9 percent). The Camels shot 24-of-60 (40 percent) from the floor, making 9-of-20 from 3-point range.

Next opponent: 

Dallas will play Wheelock College (1-3) in Saturday's championship game at 4 p.m. EST, while Connecticut College will host Coast Guard (1-3) in the 2 p.m. consolation game.