Syracuse, N.Y. – Preseason All-American Michael Mallory scored a game-high 28 points to lead Southern Connecticut State University to an 83-72 victory over the Le Moyne College men's basketball team on Saturday afternoon in Northeast-10 Conference action at Ted Grant Court.

The Dolphins had five players score between 11 and 18 points in their first game in 14 days. Junior forward Stan Buczek (Port Jervis, N.Y./Burke Catholic) led the team with 18 points, including 11 in the second half, while adding a team-high eight rebounds and two assists. Senior guard Qwadere Lovell (Mount Vernon, N.Y./Mount Vernon) and sophomore guards Anthony Richards (New Castle, Pa./New Castle/West Virginia Wesleyan) and Russell Sangster (Rockville, Md./Bullis School) each scored 12 points, while Lovell had four rebounds and three assists and Richards grabbed four first-half rebounds. With his second rebound of the game, Lovell became the fifth player in the program's 68-year history to grab 300 rebounds and dish out 300 assists. The other four players are Scott Hicks '88, Len Rauch '91, Damani Corbin '09 and Nate Champion '14. Sophomore guard Tanner Hyland (South Portland, Maine/South Portland/Bridgton Academy) was the fifth Dolphin in double digits with 11 points, while adding four rebounds and three assists.

Mallory, the second-leading scorer in the Northeast-10 at 22.2 points per game, tallied 21 of his 28 points in the second half on 9-of-13 shooting from the field, while finishing the game with four rebounds and a pair of assists. Desmond Williams tallied 14 of his 19 points after the intermission, while adding a game-highs of nine rebounds (eight in the second half) and four assists. Austin Carter was the third Owl in double figures with 12 points, including 10 in the opening half, while posting nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

Southern Connecticut State, in its first year under the direction of former Connecticut star and NBA Finals Champion Scott Burrell, jumped out to an 8-0 lead 2:16 into the game as three different players scored, including four points from Carter.

The Dolphins answered with eight of the next 11 points to trim their deficit to three. Hyland got his team on the scoreboard with a three-pointer, Sangster followed with a lay-up and then Buczek drained a three-pointer at the end of the shot clock.

After alternating baskets by Stefon Williams and Buczek, the Owls got two points apiece from three different players to take their largest lead of the half.

Le Moyne responded with a 15-5 run to take its only lead of the game. Lovell nailed a three-pointer to ignite the run, Richards buried a pair of three-pointers, sophomore forward Daniel Kaigler (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden/Gannon) made two lay-ups and then Sangster made a lay-up for a 25-24 lead with 6:33 left.

After Carter answered with a lay-up 12 seconds later to take the lead back and Desmond Williams followed with a jumper, Lovell countered with a three-pointer to knot the score at 28 with 5:32 to go.

The Owls scored nine of the last 14 points of the half to take a 37-33 lead into halftime. Carter put the Owls in front for good with a lay-up and Stefon Williams followed with a jumper. Following a three-pointer by Hyland and a tip-in by Buczek around a Jack McCarthy jumper, Isaiah McLeod closed out the half's scoring with a conventional three-point play with 39 seconds left.

After the Dolphins pulled within two on a pair of occasions in the first three minutes of the second half, the Owls registered an 11-3 run to take their first double-digit lead of the game. Mallory had seven of the points, while Desmond Williams had the other four.

Le Moyne answered with a 14-6 run to get within two, 56-54, with 8:28 left. Richards bookended the jaunt with three-pointers, while Buczek made two shots in the paint and Sangster and Lovell each scored two points.

Following a three-pointer by Lovell to get the Dolphins within 61-58 with 6:34 remaining, the Owls took control of the game with nine straight points. Mallory drained a three-pointer, McLeod hit a three-pointer from the right corner in transition and then Mallory registered a conventional three-point play.

The Dolphins made one last push to get within seven, 72-65, with 2:15 left. Hyland made a three-pointer, Sangster followed with a lay-up and then Buczek made a lay-up.

The Owls put the game away by going 9-for-10 from the foul line in the final 80 seconds. Desmond Williams went 8-for-8 from the charity stripe, while the ninth free throw was converted by Joey Wallace, the son of Syracuse University star John Wallace.

Le Moyne (5-6, 3-3 NE-10), which suffered its first home loss of the season (4-1 at home now), returns to the hardwood on Wednesday at Stonehill College at 7:30 p.m.