Pundits say that any night one team can knock off another. For the Ravens, they would travel to Cabrini where the Cavaliers have won 41 straight conference games and 38 consecutive games overall.
After the Rosemont men's basketball team started tonight's game down 13-0 with less than three minutes played, to the host #7 Cabrini Cavaliers, one might be excused for thinking that the Ravens would simply accept a rough, one-sided night. But the Ravens made the inside of Nerney Field House as uncomfortably warm as this early February day, as Rosemont clawed back into the game in the second half, only to ultimately fall to the Cavaliers by a final score of 83-71.
Cabrini remained perfect in CSAC play (20-1, 14-0 CSAC). The Ravens fell to 11-10 (7-7 CSAC) with the defeat.
With 5:42 left in the first period the Ravens fell behind by 15 points, 32-17, but the Ravens wouldn't quit, pegging back into the contest to end the half behind by 10 points, 36-26.
The Raven's momentum carried over into the start of the second half as Rosemont outscored the Cavaliers 11-3 in the first seven minutes of the half to get to within two points of Cabrini, 39-37, after DeAndre Jordan (Jr./Henry E. Lackey/Marbury, Md.) buried a trey with 13:43 left in the game.
It would take another 4:37 for the Ravens to come up with another field goal, but in that span of time the Cavaliers went on a 12-4 spurt to get back up by a 51-41 score with 9:06 remaining. Cabrini would expand their lead to 13 points, which they would hold until 2:01 remaining with their lead of 69-57.
The Ravens would narrow the margin to 77-71, but the clock was running against them with less than a minute remaining.
Derrick Carter (Jr./Millville, NJ) led the Ravens with 22 points. Justin Chaney (Jr./Williamstown, NJ) also had a solid night against the Cavaliers, scoring 19. Harrison Carsillo (Sr./Collingswood, NJ) led the Ravens with seven caroms.
The Ravens were out-shot from the field with the home side hitting 49.2% of their shots and the Ravens shooting 36.4%. The downtown shots kept Rosemont competitive, converting on 7-for-19 (36.8%) from beyond the arc. But Cabrini took advantage of their massive opportunity at the foul line. The Cavs only shot 59% from the stripe, but they had 16 more attempts than Rosemont, who shot 69.6% from the line.
Cabrini placed four of their five starters in double-figures. John Boyd shot 8-for-16 from the field and 12-for-13 from the line to notch 28 points. He was helped by Jeremy Knowles (18), Fran Rafferty (14) and AJ Williams (12 points). Boyd just missed a double-double with nine rebounds on the night.
Rosemont has another tough chore in store as they return home on Saturday, 2/4 to host the Keystone Giants in a CSAC game. Game time is scheduled for 3:00pm.