Syracuse, N.Y. – Third-year sophomore forward Luke Sutherland (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee/Siena/Bryant) scored 19 points to lead the Le Moyne College men's basketball team to a 78-62 win over Southern Connecticut State University in Northeast-10 Conference action on Saturday afternoon at Ted Grant Court.

"I thought it was an overall great team win, at home, on senior day, a perfect way to send your seniors out," said head coach Nate Champion '14. "All three of them played extremely well. Payton was plus 32 on the day, Nino plus 21 and Armon was plus 17. Big minutes from them and everybody else around them played with great energy and effort and it was a great team win. It was the first time all year where we took a lead at halftime and we didn't ever leave doubt in the second half."

Sutherland scored 10 of his game-high point total in the second half on 5-of-5 shooting from the field, while also finishing the game with six rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes of action off the bench. Senior guard Nino Hernandez (Gardner, Mass./The Winchendon School/Bryant) registered 13 points, including 11 in the second half, five rebounds and four second-half assists. Senior guard Payton Hudson (Yonkers, N.Y./Our Saviour Lutheran/Iona/Independence C.C.), who made his first start as a Dolphin, tallied 10 points, including seven in the opening minutes of the game, to go with four rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Lyron Bennett led the Owls in the loss with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. C.J. Seaforth posted 12 points, while Jamaal Waters had 10 points and six rebounds.

The teams used short spurts in going back and forth over the opening nine minutes of the game. After the teams split the first 10 points, Le Moyne scored six in a row before the Owls answered with back-to-back baskets. The Dolphins, specifically third-year sophomore guard Jeremiah Washington (Chicago, Ill./Bogan/Ferris State), followed with consecutive three-pointers to go up 17-9. The Owls countered with seven points in a row, including six from Bennett, to get back within one with 11:23 to go in the half.

Le Moyne took control for good with seven straight points of its own over 1:18. Sutherland made a three-pointer from the left corner and a jumper around two free throws from redshirt freshman guard Christian Davis (Denver, Colo./Mullen/New Hampton School).

After Le Moyne's lead bounced between seven and 10 points over the next five and one-half minutes, the Dolphins closed out the half with six of the last eight points over the final four minutes to take a 39-28 lead into halftime.

The teams went back and forth over the opening seven minutes of the second half before the Dolphins blew the game open. After the teams split the first 22 points of the stanza, the Dolphins rattled off 23 of the next 30 points over a span of almost eight minutes. Sutherland tallied 10 points in the streak, while Hernandez had nine points and three assists.

After the Dolphins took a game-high 27-point lead with five minutes left, the Owls cut their margin with 14 of the last 17 points.

Le Moyne (11-12, 7-9 NE10) closes out its home schedule on Wednesday against American International College at 7:00 p.m.