Syracuse, N.Y. – Kareem Thomas scored a career high-tying 20 points to lead The College of Saint Rose to a 67-58 win over the Le Moyne College men's basketball team on Tuesday night in Northeast-10 Conference play at Ted Grant Court. With the victory and the corresponding half point, Saint Rose clinches the inaugural "Upstate Challenge" between the two institutions.

Thomas tallied 12 of his game-best point total in the second half, while adding five rebounds. Brian Hanuschak registered 17 points and a game-high nine rebounds, while Sheldon Griffin posted 13 points.

Sophomores Nate Champion (Logansport, Ind./Logansport) and Jim Janson (Scotia, N.Y./Scotia-Glenville) each scored 16 points, while Janson pulled down a team-best seven rebounds. Champion, a member of this week's Jesuit Basketball Spotlight Honor Roll, tallied 13 of his points in the second half. Junior guard Gamal Mohamed (North Plainfield, N.J./Immaculata) was the third Dolphin in twin-figures with 11 points.

The teams went back-and-forth over the opening 9:26 of the game, with the lead changing hands three times and the score being tied five times, the last of which was at 16 apiece. Six different Dolphins scored in the span, led by four points from Janson, while five different Golden Knights scored, led by a three-pointer and a fast-break lay-up from Thomas.

After Mohamed hit a three-pointer to give the Dolphins a 20-19 lead with 8:30 left in the half, the Golden Knights scored seven of the next nine points to take the lead for good. Hanuschak made a jumper, Griffin made a lay-up and Thomas followed with a three-pointer at the 6:34 mark.

The teams split the final eight points of the stanza as the Golden Knights took a 30-26 lead at halftime. Sophomore forward Brian Zapisek (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) and Janson each had baskets in the paint for the Dolphins, while Dominykas Milka and Hanuschak scored for Saint Rose.

Saint Rose scored eight of the first 12 points of the second half to open up a 38-30 lead with 16:29 remaining. Griffin started the run with a jumper and Thomas followed with a trio of jump shots, while Zapisek and Champion combined for four points.

After the Golden Knights extended their lead to nine (45-36) on a lay-up by Hanuschak with 13:58 remaining, the Dolphins scored 13 of the next 18 points to cut their deficit to one with 8:28 to go. Champion led the charge as he accounted for nine of the points with a foul-line jumper, a three-pointer and two more jump shots, while freshman forward Ryan Romich (Groton, Mass./Groton-Dunstable/Vermont Academy) and Mohamed each had baskets.

Following alternating three-pointers by Thomas and senior guard James Cormier">James Cormier (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull/Proctor Academy (N.H.)) in a span of 22 seconds, the Golden Knights scored seven straight points over a stretch of 3:12 to pull away. Thomas hit a jumper, Milka scored in the paint, Hanuschak made a foul shot and Milka capped the streak with a jump shot in the paint.

Janson scored four straight points on a dunk and two free throws to get the Dolphins within four, but that's as close as they would get. Hanuschak answered with a tip-in, Anthony Robustiano made four free throws around a Champion jumper and Thomas converted a foul shot to close out the game's scoring.

Le Moyne (11-9, 7-9 NE-10), which has lost back-to-back home games to the Golden Knights, returns to the hardwood on Saturday at Assumption at 3:30 p.m.